The Irish-language lobby has a "schizophrenic policy on the language", according to Senator Joe O'Toole, a guest speaker at the Humbert Summer School in Ballina.
"It changes as it crosses the Border. In the North they want state support and recognition for Irish-language schools. In the South they insist that Irish be a compulsory subject for all pupils and students and object to the teachers who do not have an Irish-language qualification," he said.
"The Gaeilge groups, all of whom are dependent on the State, should be pulled into line."
Senator O'Toole said the policy should be simple. "Every child should have the constitutional right to be educated through Irish. The child transferring from the Donegal Gaeltacht to Newtownabbey [in Co Antrim] should be able to continue his or her education through the medium of Irish, while the pupil transferring from Ballymena to Ballina should be able to continue his or her education through English, without having to take compulsory Irish.
"Let us also be big enough and open enough to recognise all qualified primary teachers, whether they graduate from Northern or Southern colleges and whether or not they have Gaeilge in their qualification. "There should be free movement of pupils, parents and teachers throughout the island," he said.