asked the Minister for Education whether his attention has been directed to the fact that native speakers of Irish in County Donegal regard the spelling stipulated for in Litriú na Gaeilge, published by the Stationery Office, as highly unsatisfactory and well calculated to react unfavourably on the language as spoken in County Donegal; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take with a view to meeting these objections.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Spelling.
I am not aware that the position is as represented by the Deputy. I have not received any information to that effect, nor has my attention been directed to any evidence which would support the Deputy's statement. I can find no evidence in the publication mentioned by the Deputy to justify the contention that the system is well calculated to react unfavourably on the language as spoken in County Donegal. The second part of the question does not, therefore, arise.
Is the Minister aware that in a wide range of words which, in ordinary usage in Donegal, are tri-syllabic, the spelling advocated in Litriú na Gaeilge clearly indicates that they should be pronounced as words of two syllables and, if representations are made to him on behalf of competent speakers of the language in Donegal, will the Minister give favourable consideration to the publication of a supplement to the general rules laid down in Litriú na Gaeilge which might be appropriately used in the Donegal Gaeltacht?
There is no obstacle, of course, to any individuals or bodies who may be interested in this question making representations to me to have their objections to the new spelling considered. I think there is some misapprehension if it is thought that Donegal has not been represented in this matter. The committee which has examined this question, and which was responsible for the publication referred to, has had the opportunity of seeking the advice of authoritative Irish writers and scholars from Donegal. Moreover, it is accepted, as stated in the foreward to the publication, page 5, that every dialect must sacrifice something if we are to achieve the objective of having a national standardised, simplified spelling for Irish. So far as the evidence at my disposal goes, I am quite satisfied that the Donegal side of this matter has been carefully attended to and carefully examined and there is no unfairness to Donegal any more than there is to any of the other areas concerned.
May I take it that the edition of Litriú na Gaeilge at present current is not to be regarded as absolutely the last word in the event of effective representations being made by interested and competent persons to the Minister?
No.
Very well.