Comments on: Irish language requirement for Gardaí – complaint http://www.ssi-developer.net/rant/?p=508 Níl ann ach raiméis : It's nothing but nonsense Sat, 10 Jan 2009 09:45:18 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: maca http://www.ssi-developer.net/rant/?p=508#comment-487 maca Thu, 29 Sep 2005 07:16:45 +0000 http://www.ssi-developer.net/rant/?p=508#comment-487 Well Dogfael, although i'm not an Irish speaker, I am a big supporter of the language and I certainly think that Irish speakers should be able to get all services through Irish if they so desire. However, even though there are quite many Irish speakers in Dublin few seem to be using it in public. In a way Antonio's point is valid. Dublin is more multi-cultural than ever with a lot more languages been spoken than ever before. English is the one language which unites all. One good step would be for all Irish speakers to try to use the language a lot more in public and not just in Irish language cafés, put it out there, get it noticed because at the moment you'd hear more Polish than Irish and that's not doing the language much good IMHO. Well Dogfael, although i’m not an Irish speaker, I am a big supporter of the language and I certainly think that Irish speakers should be able to get all services through Irish if they so desire.
However, even though there are quite many Irish speakers in Dublin few seem to be using it in public.
In a way Antonio’s point is valid. Dublin is more multi-cultural than ever with a lot more languages been spoken than ever before. English is the one language which unites all.

One good step would be for all Irish speakers to try to use the language a lot more in public and not just in Irish language cafés, put it out there, get it noticed because at the moment you’d hear more Polish than Irish and that’s not doing the language much good IMHO.

]]> By: Dogfael http://www.ssi-developer.net/rant/?p=508#comment-486 Dogfael Wed, 28 Sep 2005 17:18:55 +0000 http://www.ssi-developer.net/rant/?p=508#comment-486 Why would you not need Irish-speaking gardaí in Dublin? If you are an Irish speaker in Dublin, and Irish is the national language and one of the official languages of the state I think the Irish speaker should expect any state official to be able to serve them in their own language if that is what they want no matter how good their English. You can learn a language. Why would you not need Irish-speaking gardaí in Dublin? If you are an Irish speaker in Dublin, and Irish is the national language and one of the official languages of the state I think the Irish speaker should expect any state official to be able to serve them in their own language if that is what they want no matter how good their English. You can learn a language.

]]> By: maca http://www.ssi-developer.net/rant/?p=508#comment-322 maca Thu, 25 Aug 2005 15:49:36 +0000 http://www.ssi-developer.net/rant/?p=508#comment-322 It's a good question to ask if the non-native has good enough English ... but I think to apply for the Gardaí you would need to be resident in the country for 5 years, plus each candidate would go through normal interview procedures before being accepted. If they couldn't speak English good enough then their application could/should be rejected. It’s a good question to ask if the non-native has good enough English … but I think to apply for the Gardaí you would need to be resident in the country for 5 years, plus each candidate would go through normal interview procedures before being accepted. If they couldn’t speak English good enough then their application could/should be rejected.

]]> By: Antonio from Italy http://www.ssi-developer.net/rant/?p=508#comment-321 Antonio from Italy Wed, 24 Aug 2005 14:23:02 +0000 http://www.ssi-developer.net/rant/?p=508#comment-321 OK, there's no need of an Irish-speaking policeman in Dublin city so it's right and fair to hire a non-Irish native and let him work as a policeman. But are we/you sure that this non-native is prepared enough to understand english well? And will he be able to cope with non-english speaking people, ie tourists, that struggle to make themselves clear? A mother language officer can easily guess what they are saying, an immigrant could find it hard to understand a distorted english, since he's not english in the first place. What I'm telling here is that certain job positions should be given to native people for the simple reason that only a native can be really helpful in every aspect. And this is true in any country of the world. Besides, the fact that the submission to the Minister of Justice come from Irish-speaking immigrants is a clear sign that the interest in mantaining certain cultural traditions is even stronger in other parts of the world. This should be an invitation to think about it more deeply! OK, there’s no need of an Irish-speaking policeman in Dublin city so it’s right and fair to hire a non-Irish native and let him work as a policeman.
But are we/you sure that this non-native is prepared enough to understand english well? And will he be able to cope with non-english speaking people, ie tourists, that struggle to make themselves clear?
A mother language officer can easily guess what they are saying, an immigrant could find it hard to understand a distorted english, since he’s not english in the first place.
What I’m telling here is that certain job positions should be given to native people for the simple reason that only a native can be really helpful in every aspect.
And this is true in any country of the world.

Besides, the fact that the submission to the Minister of Justice come from Irish-speaking immigrants is a clear sign that the interest in mantaining certain cultural traditions is even stronger in other parts of the world.
This should be an invitation to think about it more deeply!

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