Submissions

(Official Languages Act 2003 Draft Scheme by the Tralee institute Technology.)

Further to your advertisement on the of the 4th August 2006 for submissions pertaining to the /Draft scheme, I Maurice Fitzgerald of , , County . make the following submission.

A great deal of state resources are been put into the revival and use of Irish, despite been a marginal language that's rarely spoken by the vast majority of people on this Island. The Institute should be mindful of the need to communicate with other institutions in other EU and non-EU countries not using Irish. Therefore, it's important to spread resources for these other languages carefully and not to devote the bulk of resources to Irish.

A present, huge advertisements have been taken out at tremendous cost to the taxpayer costing thousands of Euro. And many may would argue that it's excessive. Further, the provision of these services in Irish will be at great cost for what might be very limited communications in Irish. The institute needs to address the issue of demand and financial justification.

The institute should not communicate in Irish unless the initial contact with the institute is in Irish. And not seek to promote Irish over another language, Irish is just one of two official languages on this Island. The promotion of Irish has not obtained widespread approval by any means. Others controversially maintain that it's a virtually a dead language; notwithstanding its use in areas to the present day by some.

Yours sincerely,

Maurice Fitzgerald, Shanbally, Ringaskiddy, County Cork.