Pay to speak Irish

[Purple]

Des didn't learn it for the good of his health. He made a TV show which presumably earned him lost of money.

But seeing as you take the knee-jerk reaction of asking why our public servants don't learn Irish, here's a few;

1) They are kind-of busy with the day job. What loss in productivity of public services would you be prepared to live with to give people the time to learn a new language?
2) Taking money off people would be a breach of existing terms and conditions and would be illegal. It's generally not a good idea for the Govt to take illegal actions.
3) The vast majority of the Irish population are very likely to continue to want to interact with the public service in English, therefore the value-for-money return in spending time and cost on all public servants learning Irish is highly questionable.
4) Forcing people to learn a language is generally not very effective. They've tried it that way with Irish in schools, and it hasn't worked. Why would you want to continue to go down this road?

Maybe if you sit back and think about this for more than a few seconds, you'll come up with some constructive suggestions.

I agree with all of that (except maybe the "They are kind-of busy with the day job" bit ).

 

[cork]

Article 8[1] of the Constitution proclaims the Irish language as the national and first official language of the State, recognizing English only as a second official language.

If public servants have a problem with the Constitution - hard luck.

Were these people unaware of the Irish constitution before taking up jobs in the public sector?

Down here in Cork - many people from the HSE learn Irish in their own time.

What is wrong at having more than one language?

 

[cork]

I am not being anti public sector. But getting services in either Irish or English is a right.

Every public sector organisation should have structures in place that services are available bi-lingually.

I have improved my irish recently going to a weekly circle comhra and completed 20 week conversational classes.

Many people at these courses were HSE employees - improving their knowledge of the language on their own time.

I am sure they expect no additional payment but to improve their ability in using the language.

 

[becky]

Many people at these courses were HSE employees - improving their knowledge of the language on their own time.

I am sure they expect no additional payment but to improve their ability in using the language.

All HSE areas have an Irish Officer who has a list of staff who are competent in irish.

The are not entitled to extra payment for doing this course but that not to say they don't expect it

 

[csirl]

Article 8[1] of the Constitution proclaims the Irish language as the national and first official language of the State, recognizing English only as a second official language.

If public servants have a problem with the Constitution - hard luck.

Were these people unaware of the Irish constitution before taking up jobs in the public sector?

Down here in Cork - many people from the HSE learn Irish in their own time.

What is wrong at having more than one language?

Cork conveniently omits the important part of the Constitution which says quote:

"Provision may, however, be made in law for the exclusive use of either said language for any one or more official purposes, either throughout the State or in any part thereof."

It seems like Cork is the one who has a problem with the Constitution as he seems to be opposed to the idea that the Government can provide services in english in parts of the country where most people speak english.

What is wrong at having more than one language?

It causes confusion and misinterpretations as well as costing a lot of money in translations. Better to have everyone speaking the same language.

 

[cork]

It causes confusion and misinterpretations as well as costing a lot of money in translations. Better to have everyone speaking the same language.

Many EU contries are bilingual & have no problems.

opposed to the idea that the Government can provide services in english in parts of the country where most people speak english.

No exemptions exist under the 2003 languages act

All HSE areas have an Irish Officer who has a list of staff who are competent in irish.

But at public counters - services need to be available in our first language.

 

[cork]

Utter balderdash.

Just to clarify that civil servants do get extra payment for passing the scrudu beal.

This scheme needs to be extended to local authories and the HSE.

Public servants operating in a country without our 1st language should be given the opportunity to learn the language or else find alternative employment where the language is not required.

Irish is now an official lamguage of the EU. The Officail Languages Act os there since 2003. Des Bishop picked up the language.

What excuses do public servants give for not learning the language?

Excuses shouldn't be tolerated. The public sector needs to raise their fame big time with regards the language.

 

[gebbel]

What is wrong at having more than one language?

It causes confusion and misinterpretations as well as costing a lot of money in translations. Better to have everyone speaking the same language.

Look at Belgium, I think 3 languages are spoken there and they communicate just fine!

 

[Blinder]

People should be demanding services in Irish.

Why would I do that when I wouldn't have a clue what they were saying?

 

[GeneralZod]

Look at Belgium, I think 3 languages are spoken there and they communicate just fine!

The Flemings & Walloons known for their love of each other. Where they only just agreed on a Prime Minister after their 2007 election. Like the Palestinians and Israelis or Unionists and Nationalists.

 

[DrMoriarty]

The public sector needs to raise their fame big time with regards the language.

Cad é sin arís?

 

[cork]

The public sector needs to raise their Game big time with regards the language.

But the public sector in parts are. HSE employees in Cork go to the 20 week conversational classes. The HSE pays for it - if they have good attendence.

The Librarys have circle comhras.

Brian Cowen sees the Irish Language as one of his priorities.

I have no dout - a bi-lingual public sector is on the eay.

Having a few with Irish in a public office is not an acceptable solution.

 

[Simeon]

The Flemings & Walloons known for their love of each other. Where they only just agreed on a Prime Minister after their 2007 election. Like the Palestinians and Israelis or Unionists and Nationalists.

Oui, exactement General Zod!

 

[z103]

The HSE pays for it - if they have good attendence.

The Librarys have circle comhras.

Brian Cowen sees the Irish Language as one of his priorities.

I have no dout - a bi-lingual public sector is on the eay.

As if the country's finances weren't looking bleak enough as it is, we have the white elephant of a dead language to support.

Why not just treat it like Irish music? - If people want to learn it (and use their own money) to keep a tradition alive, great. Other people shouldn't have to suffer.

 

[Purple]

But the public sector in parts are. HSE employees in Cork go to the 20 week conversational classes. The HSE pays for it - if they have good attendence.

The Librarys have circle comhras.

Brian Cowen sees the Irish Language as one of his priorities.

I have no dout - a bi-lingual public sector is on the eay.

Having a few with Irish in a public office is not an acceptable solution.

Great, I can see it now; Nurses with bi-lingual placards picketing hospitals while they look for even shorter hours and one of their tri-annual pay increases. Meanwhile granny Murphy inside on a trolley will be told that there's still no bed for her in a language she doesn't understand... good to see we've got our priorities right.

Charley Bird will be called in, “Oh Charley”, granny Murphy will say, “It was great, they told me that I’d be in the corridor for another day or two but I didn’t understand.”
“What happened then?” Charley will ask.
“The nurse said that it wasn’t her job to translate, since Irish is our first language, and a demarcation dispute broke out.”

Charley (to camera), “So that’s why the hard pressed nurses are outside venting their anger at how badly they are treated. Yet another failure by Mary Harney”

 

[cork]

Great, I can see it now; Nurses with bi-lingual placards picketing hospitals

The focus of public sector workers should be on the public and the country.

As if the country's finances weren't looking bleak enough as it is, we have the white elephant of a dead language to support.

Why not just treat it like Irish music? - If people want to learn it (and use their own money) to keep a tradition alive, great. Other people shouldn't have to suffer.

Why should people suffer?

Surely it is not beyond the Irish public sector to learn the 1st Official Language of this country?

Des Bishop got a good grasp of the language within a year. Why expect less from those paid by the state?


These people have steady and pensionable jobs. Why they don't already have the language is beyond me.

The Irish Lanuage is this countrys 1st Official Language since 1937. The Official Languages Act was passed in 2003. Public servants will simply have to learn the language. Having designated people with Irish within the public service is not a solution.

Cost
I am aganist translating publications into Irish. The emphesis should be on oral communication. (this would make better use of resources).

Civil Servants who pass the scudu beal get extra payment - why not extend this to the HSE and Local government?

The Israeli govt. revived Hebrew using the public sector during the 1950s - it worked.

But it all will come done to the atitude of staff and management having proper structures in place.

 

[z103]

These people have steady and pensionable jobs. Why they don't already have the language is beyond me.

Simple, they don't need to know it to do their jobs. They don't need to know how to play the tin whistle either.

 

[Welfarite]

These people have steady and pensionable jobs. Why they don't already have the language is beyond me.

Civil Servants who pass the scudu beal get extra payment - why not extend this to the HSE and Local government?

Firstly, if they passed a scrúdu béal, they should be able to use it. Secondly, CS get extra payment for passing such an exam? Can you give an example?

 

[aonfocaleile]

As a CS who has passed this exam, I would also like to hear of an example where civil servants get additional payment for passing this. I certainly don't (nor do I expect one).

 

[cork]

As a CS who has passed this exam, I would also like to hear of an example where civil servants get additional payment for passing this. I certainly don't (nor do I expect one).

One civil servant told me - but probably a case of bad information.

I apologise for that.

But staff should get extra payment for passing the exam. Many others could not bother learning the language.

Why should the few who make the effort shoulder those who couldn't be bothered?