asked the Minister for Justice whether he has received any complaint indicating that there was a bias against the use of the Irish language in recent court proceedings in Cork and, if so, whether he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Language in Cork Court Proceedings.
I have had a complaint the burden of which is that the process in the case in question was invalid because of the alleged misspelling of the defendant's name. The court held otherwise and, if the defendant was aggrieved by this decision, it was open to him to appeal against it, which he has not done. As the Deputy knows, the dispensation of justice in particular cases is a matter for the courts and not for me, but I would not like it to be thought that either of the justices who dealt with this matter has any bias against the Irish language since I believe the contrary to be the case.
I might add that the complaint also implies a criticism of the plaintiff and the solicitors acting for the plaintiff but the Deputy will appreciate that this is a matter for which I have no official responsibility at all. If proceedings were taken in the case in question because of the defendant's insistence that he be addressed in the Irish form of his name, I believe that all fair minded people will deprecate such conduct. The Deputy will understand that it is difficult to ascertain whether such was the case in this instance and even if it were there are no powers at my disposal to interfere in the matter.
Is the Minister aware that the defendant in this case incurred unnecessary costs because he refused to accept demands for payments except in his Irish name? Surely this House and the Minister's Department should uphold the right of every citizen to use only the Irish language, if he wishes to do so, and no penalties should attach to any citizen for exercising this right? Is he also aware that the land agents in this case refused to address this citizen by his proper name in the Irish language although the deed in question was executed by the defendant in the Irish language? I think this is an impertinence which the Minister should comment on.
As I have already informed the Deputy, I have no power to inform solicitors in a particular case whether the Irish or English language should be acceptable. The facts are that the two justices concerned are well-known supporters of the language revival and I regret that any insinuations should be made that they were biassed against the language.