Minister: Gaeilgeoirí 'don't lecture' others

Minister for the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys has warned fluent Irish speakers against lecturing those who lack proficiency in the language.

Speaking in the Dáil earlier this week during a debate on the state of the national language, the Cavan-Monaghan TD excused her own short-comings, noting however how she had made strident efforts to improve her skills since taking over the portfolio two-years-ago.

“Like other Deputies, I studied Irish and sat exams in school but, like so many people who learned Irish in school, my competency in the language has faded over the years because I did not have cause to use it. I have made efforts to improve my Irish during the past two years and I plan to redouble these efforts in the years ahead.”

Acknowledging the work done by her colleague Joe McHugh as Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, who has confounded critics getting to grips with the native language, she said: “He is a fantastic example of how it is possible to reconnect with the language.

“His experience will have encouraged others to be brave enough to speak the cúpla focal again. People who lecture others about not having fluent Irish and not being able to speak the language put people off speaking Irish and, sometimes, do more damage to the language. I acknowledge the passion for the language held by so many Members of the House,” Minister Humphreys said.

In a wide ranging debate which also took into account investment in supporting the Irish language, there was some criticism levelled at the her appointment, particularly regarding her new remit now for Rural Affairs.

Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóibín said of Minister's Humphreys’ new role that she “will not know its full remit, will not fully function nor will it have its staff for another eight weeks, just before the summer recess”.

He added that it was a “crazy situation” that parliamentary questions in their entirety would be prevented, and Oireachtas committee meetings would not be able to comprehensively function.

“It will be September, six months after the election before TDs are fully able to deal with these pivotal areas.”

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy also expressed her unhappiness with what she described as “this miscellaneous Department of Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht. With a lot of portfolios, it lacks focus.”