Sir, - The pending abolition of the All-must-pass-Irish rule for the certification of secondary teachers is welcome, and hopefully the abolition of the rule is just the first step in adjusting the national administrative regulations to the actual wishes of the community in connection with the language.
In my estimation, the administrative policies which would match the real public attitude to Irish would have the following features:
In primary schools, children may be given a flavour of Irish, but time and effort would not be assigned to it on the supposition that it will be used as their vernacular. And in assigning resources, absolute priority would be given to the acquisition of literacy in English by all pupils.
During the first two years of secondary schooling, all pupils with the required academic aptitude would have classes in Irish.
After two years in secondary school, Irish would be a subject of choice for pupils, like any other. Schools would not be compelled to sit pupils in Irish classes under pain of losing their capitation grants.
The National University of Ireland would abolish the blanket condition of a pass in Irish for gaining entry, and instead would adopt the more liberal and more functional rules which apply for entry to the new universities. - Yours, etc., Donal Flynn,
Breffni Terrace, Sandycove, Co Dublin.