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Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

This MEP is going to speak only 'as Gaeilge' in Brussels for a week

Sinn Féin’s Liadh Ní Riada will speak only in Irish in protest at the treatment of the language in EU institutions.

AN IRISH MEP is going on a language strike, or stailc teanga, for a week over the derogation of Irish in EU and Irish institutions.

Sinn Féin’s Liadh Ní Riada was elected to the European Parliament in May last year, and has already been nominated for an MEP of the Year award.

She has pledged to speak only Irish during her work with European institutions for the duration of Seachtain na Gaeilge.

“Irish received full status in the EU in 2007 but since that time a derogation has been in place,” Ní Riada said.

“The European Institutions are not obliged to provide full translation or interpretation services in Irish, as they do with all other official EU languages.”

It saddens me that as a public representative, an Irish person, and a woman from the Gaeltacht who grew up with Irish, that I cannot use my own language as I go about my work.

She said that if the Government made a formal request for the derogation to be lifted, 188 jobs could be created “at no great cost to the European Union”.

While her statement was as bearla, she has taken to tweeting in her native tongue:

When the language received official recognition eight years ago, full implementation was delayed due to ‘difficulties in recruiting sufficient numbers of Irish language translators’. This was renewed in 2010.

A spokesperson from the Department of Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht said:

A decision on whether or not to extend the derogation for the use of Irish in the EU institutions for a further period of time is required by December 2015 at the latest.

“In that context, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, in conjunction with the Department of An Taoiseach, continues to be actively engaged with the EU institutions in order to formulate specific proposals on the optimal approach to the derogation.”

“The outcome of that engagement will inform the proposals that will be brought to Government in due course.”

Ní Riada: ‘We have to put up with the fact that we’re part of Europe’ >

Read: The YouTube porn hidden behind the Irish language is now gone >

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    Mute Martin Hayes
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:36 PM

    Nothing like getting your priorities right.

    514
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    Mute Markonline
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:54 PM

    Tg4 and the education system in Ireland cannot employ all these 3rd level Irish graduates so the plan is to ship them off to Brussels.

    283
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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:57 PM

    @the druid – wipe your nose.

    32
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    Mute Buckwheat MacMillan
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:11 PM

    Mulf

    23
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    Mute Henry Porter
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:14 PM

    All you people who voted for her – you deserve this.

    266
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    Mute Mick Hannigan
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:18 PM

    Milk? Really, your having a laugh

    22
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    Mute johnny boy
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:23 PM

    Ta sin at doigh, Erin go brath agus an teanga go brath…..! Ta Sinn Fein go na daoine as eireann, cad a rinne Fine Gael agus Fianna Fáil go an teanga roimhe seo

    149
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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:34 PM

    Right in Henry!

    What a load of shite!!

    53
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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:37 PM

    Wait a minute….. Won’t they have to employ someone to translate for the rest of them???

    Ah ha!!

    Hello Europe! Here’s what we call a quango!

    124
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    Mute Stephen Downey
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:38 PM

    Molfainn gach duine bhur gcuid Gaeilge a usáid agus aontú leis an feachtais seo. Ní amháin sa scéal seo ach i ngach scéal ón am seo amach. Cuirfidh sé deireadh leis an nóisean bréagach go bhfuil an teanga marbh.

    207
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    Mute An Ciarraioch
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:58 PM

    Go hiontach Liath , Comhghairdeachais

    153
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    Mute Gearóid Mac Con Charraige
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    Feb 18th 2015, 2:10 AM

    They stole all your fadas!

    9
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    Mute mrgillhouley
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    Feb 18th 2015, 5:15 PM

    she is the definition of an idiot

    6
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    Mute Crunch Barrett
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    Feb 18th 2015, 9:18 PM

    Iontach! go neirí leí

    16
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    Mute Gravel Pitt
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:42 PM

    What an idiot!

    And we insist on all EU documents being translated into Irish, at enormous expense.

    Even though nobody, but nobody, will ever read them….

    366
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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:59 PM

    Maybe they could be given to schools for irish classes/exams. There must be savings there.

    76
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    Mute Alien8
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:04 PM

    188 full time public appointments so that *one* person can have the *possibility* of reading documents that may or may not be relevant to her role, even though they are 100% fluent in one of the existing documents languages. She’s certainly got into the swing of European bureaucracy and waste.

    202
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    Mute Taoiseach O'Brien
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:06 PM

    You’re fluent in French German and Spanish gravel

    39
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    Mute Karen
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:33 PM

    I will say it hundred times over. Teachers in classes teaching Irish speaking in English is a complete joke. They should ban English speaking in class to help Irish kids learn the conversation along with nouns and verbs etc.. Some teachers actually take it serious and do it right, however a majority treat it like a chore and the kids have no comprehension.
    I was taught all through Irish on every subject and i love it because my teachers were good at teaching it .

    171
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    Mute John Smith
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:58 PM

    Irish should be taught the same way we learn English, learn to speak it first and then when kids have a good grasp teach them how to write it. Mixing speaking and writing causes confusion and boredom.

    107
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    Mute Conchubhair MacLochlainn
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:34 PM

    You’ll find that the EU insist on translating all the documents at the enormous amount of .07c per Irish taxpayer, per annum, whether they are translated into Irish or not, due to their commitment to the official languages of the entire bloc, but facts are annoying when you’re on your moral high horse, aren’t they?

    79
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    Mute Stephen Chambers
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:40 PM

    agus cá fhad atá tú fhéin ag múineadh?

    18
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    Mute Gravel Pitt
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:42 PM

    What Con & Cha?

    Useless freaking language…

    Hospitals are more important …….

    41
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    Mute Smiley
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:54 PM

    Fat chance. Most parents don’t speak Irish.

    23
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    Mute Katie Next
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    Feb 18th 2015, 12:59 AM

    No one would read them any way. Joan Burton and Jobestown making news and she went out the back way through a food bank there is a soup kitchen in Athlone and Ennis. The poor are getting poorer and lecturing in Irish won’t help

    7
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    Mute realgael
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    Feb 18th 2015, 5:19 AM

    there aint no idiot like a shiner idiot

    13
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    Mute Donncha O HEallaithe
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    Feb 24th 2015, 6:12 PM

    Cur amú airgid poiblí ar mhaithe le siombalachas.

    1
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    Mute Eoin Ó Murchú
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    Feb 25th 2015, 12:05 AM

    Completely untrue – which shows how ill-informed you are. Bigotry blinds you to facts. Working as a journalist for Raidió na Gaeltachta, before Irish status was won, I had to translate these documents myself for use in my work. Now Irish journalists can use official translations, just like journalists working in the other official languages of the EU member states. Journalists, as well as researchers, politicians, policy makers and policy critics all need to refer to these documents. If they’re not available in Irish, what language should we use? German? Or French? Your anglo-centric outlook is pathetic.

    14
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    Mute Seán Mag Leannáin
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    Feb 25th 2015, 5:56 PM

    I agree with Eoin. I think you’re seriously wrong on this one, Donncha – for a whole host of reasons. You’re probably aware that so far the mandarins of the Irish Civil Service have only identified 10 posts across the entire civil service (apart from the few dozen in the Dept of the Gaeltacht) where Irish is considered necessary. Some of these 10 posts are effectively translator posts – ie, posts involving translation duties into the Irish language – given the form to date, I’m surprised that Irish was considered necessary even for these posts ! The response of the Irish Civil Service to the Official Languages Act has been a complete joke and there’s no reason to think that this is going to change. If the additional posts in Europe were filled it might at least have the effect of shaming the home civil service into a bit more effort. The limited staff nos out there at present have done trojan work. If you visit the European parliament in Brussels you can take the tour in Irish – it’s absolutely first class, both orally and in written form. These jobs will also open doors for young Irish graduates in the European civil service and a lot of the decisions which will impact on us in the future will be made in the corridors of power there rather than in Dublin. They will also receive cutting edge training in linguistic and translation technologies. And if these 180 jobs don’t materialize in Europe there isn’t a snowball’s hope in hell that they’ll materialize back here in the home country. Tá brón orm a Dhonncha a chara ach tá tú ar strae ar fad i dtaobh an ábhair seo.

    3
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    Mute Aisling Twomey
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:40 PM

    …. Nobody is going to know what she’s on about.

    244
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    Mute Drew
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:48 PM

    Won’t exactly be different from any other week…

    228
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    Mute mcgoo
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:54 PM

    She’s been utterly anonymous in the constituency since election.

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    Mute An Ciarraioch
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:59 PM

    Mcgoo – Funny that you would make that comment , as Liadh has an astonishing record for attendance in Brussels and for the record , has attended dozens of times already in Ciarrai .
    In fact , I’ve seen Liadh more often down here then Sean Kelly MEP and he is a Kerryperson !

    Is it that you make your business not to see or meet her ?
    An bhuil se sin ceart ?

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    Mute mcgoo
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    Feb 17th 2015, 10:43 PM

    Nil se, mar nil aon political allegiance agam, unlike yourself a Ciarrioch!

    21
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    Mute realgael
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    Feb 18th 2015, 5:18 AM

    Liadh is an idiot, nuf said

    9
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    Mute Gagsy 99
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:36 PM

    Well that will be a productive week for her.

    197
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    Mute realgael
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    Feb 18th 2015, 5:17 AM

    no right thinking person would listen to her anyways so let her speak whatever crap she want. yet another national embarrassment given to us by SF/IRA

    33
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    Mute Josh Ó hAnrachtaigh
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:39 PM

    Fair play to her, Wish I was fluent in Irish!

    194
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    Mute conor hickey
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:40 PM

    Waste of time.

    170
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    Mute emperor_vid
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:43 PM

    Fantastic use of tax money

    169
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    Mute Karen
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:26 PM

    She can still do her job, she doesnt need to speak English or German or French even. As quite obvious they dont be listening to anything Irish have to say as Ireland is the lap dog.
    Good for her.
    We did this in our shop for a week few years back. And the amount of people who spoke Irish and tried was brilliant.
    BTW i actually have heard of loads of other Nationalities learning Irish as they enjoy and see the beauty and the richness in our Native teanga.

    152
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    Mute Patrick Reynolds
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    Feb 17th 2015, 10:22 PM

    @ Karen”We did this in our shop for a week a few years back. And the amount of people who spoke Irish and tried was brilliant”
    Are you really Pollyanna or Dougal from Fr Ted?
    If it was so brilliant, how come your “shop” has not tried it more often. Jesus wept!

    30
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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Feb 17th 2015, 10:46 PM

    Probably because they had negative feed back from people such as yourself Patrick.

    31
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    Mute Karen
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    Feb 17th 2015, 11:22 PM

    Perhaps because i have new job now and i dont know if they still do it. So nice try at the negativity about Irish sorry you failed.

    34
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    Mute Karen
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    Feb 17th 2015, 11:24 PM

    Oh to add i do it in new job with the kids who go to the local Gael scoil is that ok with you and they love chatting in Irish as do some of their parents. Hear some parents actually speaking Irish to their kids when out and about to. You should try listening harder sometime.

    37
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    Mute Ten Major
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    Feb 18th 2015, 12:02 AM

    Jeeze Pat relax, it’s only a language. If people want to use it ,what your problem.

    21
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    Mute Cabe
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:19 PM

    Far too much negativity here about what she’s trying to achieve. I hate that I can’t speak out native language fluently. Fair play to her!

    157
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    Mute Shane Denham
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:48 PM

    Fair play 2 her maith an cailin

    138
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    Mute John Moylan
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:53 PM

    What a waste of time and taxpayers money. Her electorate is not irish speaking in the main, and to ignore the rest of them is an insult.

    132
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    Mute Desmodromic
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:17 PM

    The Tower of Babel comes to mind. There’s something like 130 languages in Europe including minority languages such as Gaeilge. We really must take a serious look at the way we treat the Irish language. Tokenism seems to be the the main focus of policy makers. This is largely a waste of money.

    132
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    Mute johnny boy
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:25 PM

    How many west brits have we in ireland, a lot on the journal anyway, shame on yee negative pups, an teanga go brath

    131
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    Mute Rochelle
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:36 PM

    British rule and the Irish language both belong in the past, time to move on.

    65
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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:16 PM

    The Irish language should become part of the past? Sure wasn’t that part of what British rule was all about?

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    Mute Paul McGuigan
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    Feb 17th 2015, 9:17 PM

    Pity u weren’t either. Typical free staters only thing that matters is the euro, at all costs. Money is all people care about. Our language is what set us apart from ALL other nations of the world. We should cherish it and protect it not whine on about it being a dead language. All these negative comments from people who no doubt next year will be celebrating The Rising like true Irish hypocrites

    60
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    Mute Pawel
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:36 PM

    And this is why we are paying this woman a fortune every year

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiH1KmwuRtQ

    127
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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:58 PM

    Is there nothing more important she could take a stand over?

    107
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    Mute Gravel Pitt
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:05 PM

    Irish is a dead language that I was forced (no option) to learn. When I started work – here and in Europe – it was totally useless.

    No commercial value whatsoever – in most EU countries, it is literally unheard of. Yet SF have it high on their list of priorities….

    102
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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:23 PM

    It’s all the about the money, eh? That’s the problem with you types. Never seeing the true value of something, instead measuring all in pound coins.

    65
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    Mute An Ciarraioch
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:23 PM

    Gravel Pitt – On these threads you have failed to conquer the english language too . You failed to show respect for our Native tongue too …. A Chara .
    But you definitely consistently win The Big Red Thumb Awards – Comhghairdeachais a Chara !!!

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    Mute Play Against Par
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:27 PM

    Yeah, culture, heritage, history are of no value to this country. Sure we don’t need tourists!

    49
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    Mute Gravel Pitt
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:36 PM

    Kerry. What do the last ‘Com…’ words mean?

    Should I have been forced to learn Irish?

    It was no benefit to me here or NYC – or anywhere

    30
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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Feb 17th 2015, 9:56 PM

    The “cupla focail” never did anyone any harm Gravel, especially not in New York City.

    28
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    Mute Vannin
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    Feb 17th 2015, 10:46 PM

    Play, tourists can’t speak Irish, and when they hear it they think they’re being talked about (but then I suppose that applies for most “foreign” languages anyway).

    12
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    Mute mrgillhouley
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    Feb 18th 2015, 5:18 PM

    baron adams giving it the ould curry my yogurt in the dail is comedy gold, but we should encourage foreigners like him and the queen when they give it a go :D

    1
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    Mute Shem Romanowski
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    Feb 17th 2015, 10:09 PM

    Good for her, good for Ireland and good for Irish language!

    100
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    Mute Snorri Sturleson
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:43 PM

    Sar iarracht a Liadh.

    100
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    Mute Timber Planks
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:19 PM

    Nicky Ryan!

    I’m quite interested to know, how come she has been nominated for MEP of the year? And is it a European or Irish title?

    99
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    Mute Snorri Sturleson
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:59 PM

    If they are waiting for Heather Numpties the Seanad maker to save the language then all is doomed. As for Edna why he is more likely to advance Ulster Scots.

    85
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    Mute Snorri Sturleson
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:43 PM

    Sar iarracht Liad.

    82
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    Mute up down
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:17 PM

    Absolutely ridiculous. Making fools of us! Feck all of us actually speak irish, that’s not an opinion, it’s just the truth.

    79
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    Mute Conchubhair MacLochlainn
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:43 PM

    1.77m according to the 2011 census. Most *facts* have numbers in them, as opposed to phrases like “feck all” because they’re slightly easier to quantify.

    50
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    Mute Vocal Outrage
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    Feb 17th 2015, 9:12 PM

    It depends on how you ask the question in the census as to what number you get. If I recall the question was how many could speak Irish, ie force fed it in school and had a few words, as opposed to how many actually used Irish.

    See, facts can be distorted too

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    Mute Stephen Downey
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    Feb 17th 2015, 9:52 PM

    Ach is é sin do thuairim, ‘force fed’, níl aon fírinne agat chun do ráiteas a sheasamh suas.

    28
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    Mute Paul Geraghty
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    Feb 17th 2015, 10:41 PM

    The census is wrong or people answered incorrectly, remembering how to ask a teacher how to go to the jax because it was bated in to you is not being proficient. This is attention seeking Irish victim playing. Nobody will know what she is saying or care. Almost everyone in Ireland wouldn’t have a clue what she would be saying

    11
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    Mute Stephen Downey
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    Feb 17th 2015, 10:59 PM

    @Paul Geraghty

    Má tá tú dáiríre i do thuaraim caithfidh tú a rá go bhfuil an daonáireamh mícheart ina iomláine. Conas is féidir 1.77m daoine an freagra mícheart a thabhairt? Cén fianaise agat go bhfuil an daonáireamh mícheart ag baint le ceist an dteanga ach tá sé ceart le gach rud eile?

    23
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    Mute Taoiseach O'Brien
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:07 PM

    Waste of money, she’d be better off spending taxpayers money on employing a friend from her home town into some made up job.

    78
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    Mute Snorri Sturleson
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:07 PM

    Thats Fg/FF/Lab policy

    45
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    Mute Ten Major
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    Feb 18th 2015, 12:06 AM

    Adding the h’appence to the pence and prayer to shivering prayer…..
    Real tight arsed shopkeeper attitude there, put money before your culture or are you ashamed of who you are?

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    Mute Mark O'Hagan
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:24 PM

    Creating job opportunities for translators who are fluent as Gaelige – although it would have to be Munster Irish in her case.

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    Mute Rob Quinlan
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:04 PM

    I love the way you all blame the teacher for your lack of intelligence. Your hatred Irish stems from your own inability to aquire another language. We really are a country of West Brits!

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    Mute Vocal Outrage
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    Feb 17th 2015, 9:14 PM

    So the fact I’m fluent in three other languages but can’t speak Irish has nothing to do with the way Irish was taught to me for 14 years, I see. Yeo, mustn’t be able to pick up languages so

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    Mute Goldberg
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:38 PM

    Pointless – everybody speaks English in Brussels – how many multinational workplaces here would tolerate that for a week

    62
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    Mute Orna Ní
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    Feb 17th 2015, 9:21 PM

    This was spoken about today as part of a much broader conversation about the official status of Irish both domestically and in Europe at a language rights conference organised by Conradh na Gaeilge. It would be great to see some more of that discussion discussed and reported on here.

    We are all entitled to our own views, but let’s try to ensure that we are informed when we form our opinions. The opportunities available to Irish speakers today are vast, and contrary to what may be perceived, there are many employment opportunities for those who speak Irish. This includes both Gaeltacht speakers and those of us who learned it at school.

    Any general discussion around Irish affects all of us, and before we rush to condemn or to praise, we should include ourselves in the discussion. The media, including thejournal.ie, has a role to play here too.

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    Mute Stephen Downey
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    Feb 17th 2015, 11:58 PM

    An ráiteas is fearr a chuala mé le tamall fhad.

    32
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    Mute Paul Geraghty
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:33 PM

    Pathetic, nobody will understand her. Sure most Irish people wouldn’t have a clue what she was saying. Typical attention seeking irish victim mentality. Hopefully all there will walk out and leave her looking like a complete idiot

    51
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    Mute John Leamy
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:26 PM

    I suppose when one is elected as an MEP it is necessary to do something …… Or else we’d all think that being an MEP was a handy number with huge expenses , fancy dinners and arsing around for 4 or 5 years.

    48
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    Mute Sean Ryan
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:20 PM

    What a waste of money!

    47
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    Mute Ten Major
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    Feb 18th 2015, 12:09 AM

    Money before culture, isn’t that right Sean. Melt down statues, there’s money in scrap. Stay classy.

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    Mute Paul Lane
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    Feb 17th 2015, 6:41 PM

    Easy to solve the problem; leave the EU as it is the only solution to our problems

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    Mute Buckwheat MacMillan
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:12 PM

    Why don’t you leave the EU?

    59
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    Mute Paul Lane
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    Feb 17th 2015, 9:37 PM

    Wow what a cutting comment…No you leave!!!DUH!… I mean Ireland leave the EU

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    Mute Sean Ryan
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:31 PM

    Why isn’t this article in Irish by the way? Be funny to see how many Irish people could actually read it!

    41
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    Mute John Ward
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:19 PM

    @Sean Ryan:
    Gan dearg nó glas ordóg ordóg le feiceáil ar chor ar bith ar chor ar bith!

    32
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    Mute Paul Ó Duḃṫaiġ
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    Feb 17th 2015, 9:18 PM

    A Sheonín,

    Ye just need to look in the right place:
    http://tuairisc.ie/ni-riada-le-stailc-a-chur-suas/

    Why would a site like this full of Bearloirí bigots post a story in Irish.

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    Mute Ten Major
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    Feb 18th 2015, 12:11 AM

    Cén faith Shoneen?

    5
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    Mute Glass Half Full
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:48 PM

    Best of luck with that luv.

    36
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    Mute fiachra29
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    Feb 17th 2015, 9:19 PM

    I’m very much a pro Irish language person but this translation of EU documents into Irish is pointless, it does nothing for the language and wastes money. There are better ways to support the language and far better ways to spend tax payers money.

    28
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    Mute Stephen Downey
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    Feb 17th 2015, 11:07 PM

    I ndáirire Fiachra29, is dramhpháipéar é na aistriúcháin ar fad, is cuma faoin teanga. Cé mhéad cáipéisí ón tAontas Eoraip a léann tú as Béarla nó aon teanga eile?

    20
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    Mute Pokey2013
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:04 PM

    That’ll really make her week a productive one. As if there isn’t enough nonsense to be dealing with in Europe at the moment. I reckon they’ll have to postpone the Greek problem for the time being untill this urgent matter is dealt with!

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    Mute 007
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:29 PM

    Rat face Kenny will tax her on that.

    26
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    Mute James Mc Kenna
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:00 PM

    @karen
    I’m a 5th year student and up until 1st year hated the Irish language because all of my primary school teachers taught it trough Irish and what I mean by that is if I had a question I had to firstly ask it in Irish or else it wouldn’t be answered which just discouraged me from asking questions and even when I did ask the question it was explained to me through the language I didn’t have a clue about!

    23
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    Mute John Ward
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:08 PM

    @James McKenna:
    Trough Irish?
    Oink, oink!

    24
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    Mute Play Against Par
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:25 PM

    Seems like you should have learned English first!
    I wonder why people live abroad for a year to learn a language? Is it so they can ask questions and have them answered in English?

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    Mute Jay Warner
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    Feb 17th 2015, 9:16 PM

    She’d be better of speaking Latin. That’s another dead language, but so many more people can speak it. What a complete waste of time. Just trying to grab cheap headlines as usual.

    22
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    Mute John Leamy
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:19 PM

    Tiocfaidh our Law!

    22
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    Mute Pokey2013
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:07 PM

    I really hope you meant to spell that wrong…..

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    Mute Chris Mcdonnell
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    Feb 17th 2015, 7:55 PM

    All the bull the FG labour and FF have aimed at losing SF support all have made them stronger now this clown has gone and cost them thousands of votes by this stupid act

    19
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    Mute Powerabbey
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    Feb 17th 2015, 9:50 PM

    A bandwagon passed and SF/IRA jumped aboard!

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Feb 17th 2015, 11:55 PM

    ^ Irony

    9
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    Mute Bigus Bear
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:28 PM

    Getting paid for talking rubbish for a week? The lads in the Dail do that the whole year….

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    Mute @mdmak33
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:14 PM

    Does other meps not laugh enough at us without giving them more ammunition

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    Mute mcbab
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    Feb 17th 2015, 10:50 PM

    What a joke!! She’ll be speaking to herself for a week so.

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    Mute Eric Cosgrove
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:39 PM

    Why?

    14
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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:18 PM

    Ta sea’ Mahogney gas pipes ,it all makes sense now ,our economy is saved

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    Mute Jason Byrne
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    Feb 17th 2015, 11:26 PM

    Probably has something to do with the fact that 190m people speak French for example and 100 million speak Russian and German each,while a few thousand speak Irish fluently and only 35% of those use it regularly.

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    Mute Mindfulirish
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    Feb 18th 2015, 12:51 AM

    Most developing countries send their kids to English speaking countries to learn English so they are not marginalised. SF IRA spend fortunes of taxpayers money promoting Irish. Such stupid behaviour has caused us divert 4€Billion every year to Irish instead of hospitals, jobs, lower taxes, no emigration, greater care of the elderly etc.
    Imagine a suicide help sign in Irish in any part of Dublin … God help the victim.

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    Mute Críostóir Ó Faoláin
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    Feb 18th 2015, 3:36 PM

    SF is not in Government in the south, so they don’t spend a red cent down here, and even if they were in government, the figure of €4 billion is nonsense.

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    Mute Ivorpabst
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    Feb 18th 2015, 12:22 AM

    Ridiculous stunt – please speak in English & get back to work, doing what you were elected to do.

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    Mute realgael
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    Feb 18th 2015, 5:14 AM

    just when you thought they couldn’t be any more irrelevant

    7
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    Mute Mindfulirish
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    Feb 18th 2015, 12:31 AM

    SF – IRA need Irish and their Irish translation businesses to fund their campaigns. They are forcing the councils to use Irish signs in public spaces and on public transport. So the minority are dictating we borrow 4€ Billion every year to fund this nonsense language.

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    Mute Americaphile
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:38 PM

    ABSOLUTE DISGRACE!!!!!

    THE EU SHOULD BE DISSOLVED ANYWAY!!!!

    THAT COUNTRY IS LOST!!!!!!

    “FOR THEN WILL I TURN TO THE PEOPLE A PURE LANGUAGE…” ~ ZEPHANIAH 3:9

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    Mute Ruth McCann
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    Feb 18th 2015, 1:42 AM

    Er… The EU IS NOT A COUNTRY!!! Lemme guess you’re American judging by your name? The EU is a SERIES of countries all piled under one bureaucracy, no wonder its a mess

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    Mute Michael O'Reilly
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    Feb 18th 2015, 8:23 AM

    Sure there will be lots of overtime for the gaeilge translators ! How often does this wan get to speak!?!?!?!

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    Mute Carles Manrique Pérez
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    Mar 15th 2015, 11:28 PM

    Well. That makes me wonder why you dudes wanted independence. You hate your own language, marginalize it more than what the British did. You see people over there in any article about Irish calling it a dead language while having the names in Irish. Your prime minister wants to drop it from the national compulsory curriculum in your schools.

    Seriously, what the hell differences you from the UK then?

    Some one needs to bring up a party like that one in the thirties who wanted to forbid public use of English, just do not make it national socialist and antisemitic like last time.

    You should learn to value your language, that is why Catalan (mine) is not a minority language even if it is not official at national/EU level but only in its territories. 11,5 millions of speakers without our own (for now) state even if we govern ourselves mostly.

    Pathetic.

    3
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    Mute Peter Connolly
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    Feb 17th 2015, 8:11 PM

    Might as well

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    Mute mrgillhouley
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    Feb 18th 2015, 5:16 PM

    ah curry my yogurt ya silly mare

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