Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 May 2006
94 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the nature and content of the discussions he had with the Maori Language Commission during his recent visit to New Zealand; the parallels which can be drawn from the New Zealand experience in encouraging the use of native languages and the development of the Irish language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18130/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe discussions I had with the Maori Language Commission covered a number of issues relevant to the development of the Irish language. Much of the meeting centred on the parallel issues of encouraging the Maori and Gaeltacht youth to fully engage with the language. The legislative framework underpinning the languages in the respective jurisdictions was also discussed. The Maori Language Commission also made me aware of their method of ‘proficiency exams' and of the work they are doing on ‘banking the language' through a monolingual dictionary which lists all the attributes of a word, divided by fields so that all sports terms, all medical terms etc. are listed in blocks.
