Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)

Some people might think this a less important issue than our banking debt, health service and so on. However, I believe it is equally important. It is the essence of who we are. If, as some people have predicted, the Irish language dies out, we will have to hang our heads in shame. We have so many things for which to hang our heads in shame these days that were we to hang them any more they would break.

In my experience, and that of my friends and school mates, learning the Irish language was the highest form of torture known to humankind. Although at school my class was not the "smart class" we were expected, despite not knowing what "Ní thuigim" meant, to speak in Irish about the symbolism of An Droimeann Donn Dílís, My Faithful Brown Cow. We did not even know how to ask for a loaf of bread in Irish, yet we were learning about the symbolism of My Faithful Brown Cow. Many people I know, who are good communicators, would have difficulty describing in written form the symbolism of My Faithful Brown Cow, yet we, who did not know what "Ní thuigim" meant, were expected to do so. The only policy then was that Irish be made compulsory. However, just because something is compulsory does not mean one will be good at it. If it was made compulsory in the morning that everyone in this country should run 100 metres in less than ten seconds, that would not happen. To be able to do that would require people to be properly trained or, perhaps, genetically modified. Making something compulsory will not make it happen.

When I left school I despised the Irish language with a passion. The only time I enjoyed Irish was when I had to speak it for my oral examination. It was the first time I ever spoke Irish. During that examination I was asked who I thought was the best golfer in the world to which I replied Ignatius Hayden, a man who played at Castlerea golf course. The interviewer laughed and told me she had asked not who was the best golfer in Castlerea but who was the best golfer in the world. However, when I left the examination, which I thought was fun, I regretted I had not learned how to speak Irish. I decided then that although I had failed to do so, I would, if I had children, ensure they did not.

I was told that one of the main reasons people did not like the Irish language was because of a negative attitude. While I am a little concerned I might be teaching my children incorrect Irish, I try my best. I use phrases like "Léim isteach sa charr" and " "gabh i leith". My children love the Irish language - at least they did so until they turned eight years of age. Two years ago, when I asked my then my six year old daughter and her classmates what they thought of Irish they said they loved it. My now eight year old daughter recently told me when I asked her what she thinks of Irish that she hates it, that it is boring and irrelevant and that all her classmates think the same. What has changed? They have moved on from having a bit of craic in Irish, playing bingo and other games. They now have to write it and their hands are getting sore and they find it boring and irrelevant. I accept that some subjects require hard grafting. However, we are speaking here about a language, which is about communicating and having fun expressing oneself. Why can Irish not always be taught as it is when children are six years old? Other strands could be set up to cater for those wanting to express the symbolism of My Faithful Brown Cow.

Prior to being elected to Government, Fine Gael had a fantastic idea when it elected my constituency colleague, Deputy Frank Feighan, as their spokesman on Irish. While Deputy Feighan got a lot of ribbing for not being fluent in Irish - he may be now - I believe that was a great idea.

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