Mr. Donald Ewing:

We in Dyslexia Association of Ireland are familiar with the numerous and well-replicated research documents which show that learning the code of written language, both in reading and writing, can be exceptionally difficult for young people with dyslexia. We are not experts on the Irish language. We are experts on dyslexia. We know that learning two codes at the same is too challenging for many young people. Also, both codes are different, as we are all aware.

A fundamental flaw with how we teach Irish is that we do not teach it in a way that is commensurate with the evidence from the science of reading, that is, in a structured literacy way. I had occasion to pop into a large bookstore in Dublin city centre and asked to be directed to all the books on phonics. These are the books that young people work through in junior and senior infants and into the early years of primary school. The sales clerk directed me to a massive collection of books on phonics, which is a well-recognised approach to teaching early literacy. I clarified my request and said that I meant Irish phonics and she was not able to find me a single such book in the large bookstore. We have a problem in that we do not teach Irish in the correct manner that is commensurate with the science of reading. Even if we did, it might be too demanding for some young people.