36 thoughts on “*thudini*

    1. John

      Mary Harney … the obese health minister

      John O’Donoghue (expense fiddler, speeder, abuser) Justice Minister

      nothing new with oxymoron Ministers

  1. aoh

    Still, as a non-Irish speaking person, that’s one position that needs an Irish-speaking person. Even if only because it’s logical.

  2. Huppenstop

    Can anyone imagine someone who spoke no English getting elected or appointed to one of the local authorities in Dublin? This ministerial appointment is shameful.

    1. WhoAreYa

      It’s utterly disgraceful and despicable, beyond belief.

      Though I would well believe they had no other qualified people in the government parties.

  3. Medium Sized C

    But lets just ignore the other responsibilities of the minister.
    Minister for *blank*, *blank* and AN GEALTACHT!!!!

    1. anbeirneach

      This is the Junior Minister specifically responsible for ONLY the Gaeltacht. Whatever about the Cabinet Minister not having Irish (she doesn’t as far as I know and neither did the last one), this TD was appointed specifically to this role with very little Irish; he will be unable to communicate with those he is representing in their first language – the language for which his job exists. Seems reasonably futile.

      1. Llareggub

        As a matter of interest, just wonder how many people have Irish as their first language these days?

        1. Snoouchthebigoouch

          Given the fact that somewhere around 80,000 speak Irish on a daily basis according to the last census, you’d have to say those whose ability to communicate in Irish is significantly better than their English is likely to be incredibly small.

          I wouldn’t be surprised if there were less than 100 people in Ireland who are noticeably better at communicating in Irish as opposed to English.

          After that you’re into the tricky area of people demanding that they be communicated in the language of their own choice, while denying others the same right.

          1. Llareggub

            Irish it has such a limited vocabulary. My kids show me their Irish homework and I swear nearly half the words are makey-up versions of English words – like sacar for soccer or fón for phone. I think were going to have to come to terms with the fact that we speak a sort of Hiberno-English and not put so much time and energy into a dying language. It’ll never be revived. I’m not bothered if Joe only has the couple focal like most of us.

          2. notlucas

            And phone, television etc. are purely English words? Don’t be so naïve. All language is derived from other languages. It doesn’t mean it’s makey uppy or dying. Au contraire, it means it’s a living language that evolves.

          3. The Old Boy

            I would refer you to Myles na gCopaleen on the matter, to wit, that the average Irish peasant has a daily vocabulary of a hundred times as many words as an English speaker, and certain Donegal natives pride themselves on never using the same word twice in their lifetimes.

            In all seriousness, Irish is an extremely rich language, often taught badly. There is no excuse for words such as fón: guthán is the correct and standard Irish. The frankly cr*p Irish speakers that the Dublin Gaelscoileanna churn out is diluting the language hugely. Their often appalling grammar and structure is really taking hold among younger native speakers, and the language is increasingly taking on an Anglicised structure as a result.

        2. Sinabhfuil

          @Llareggub: Phone: mid 19th century: from Greek phōnē ‘sound, voice’.

          Perhaps the Irish homework is simplified because the State hasn’t yet copped on to teaching languages by the Direct Method? Is your only knowledge of Irish from looking at children’s ekkers?

          1. bisted

            …@Llareggub: I thought you were Welsh with a name like that …but then Dylan Thomas didn’t speak much Welsh.

          2. Unpredictor

            @Llareggub is completely right. With words like phost, litir, gunna, bungaló for not exactly new objects, it sometimes feels like Irish has more in common with Ulsters Scots’ make-it-up-on-the-spot approach than any self respecting language should.

        3. cluster

          Irish has quite an extensive vocab in all areas apart from modern science and technology. There are certain concepts which are easier to express & discuss in Irish.

          This lack of individual words for new technology is true for most languages – Dutch, Spanish, Italian etc. Should we scrap them all?

  4. Custo

    Maybe it’ll encourage him to learn.
    Then one by one the govt will appoint EVERYBODY one by one as junior minister for An Gaeltacht for a period of 6 months and in 3 million years time everyone will be fluent.

    1. Snoouchthebigoouch

      Well bar putting an actual gun to people’s heads………..

      (actually I’d better delete that in case the lads in Sinn Fein are taking notes for when they get into power)

    2. Sinabhfuil

      If they appoint everyone for 6 months each, do we all get the ministerial pinsin? This does seem like a workable plan.

  5. bobsyerauntie

    Typically ridiculous ministerial appointments in Ireland. None of them are ever qualified for the positions that they are given. Most politicians are secondary school teachers with delusions of grandeur. Politics is a chancer, a charlatan, and a scoundrel’s game… so in that sense maybe most of them are qualified?

    1. cluster

      Tbf, that is standard for politics everywhere. Politicians are not specialized technocracts, nor could they be expected to be. The real problem is that our civil service had not been reformed for aeons and they too prize generalists and general knowledge far above a knowledge of the subject area.

      That said, this is clearly farcical. It is not believable that FG didn’t have any Irish speakers available. It adds to the impression that Kenny sees govt positions mainly as a way of divvying out rewards rather than as a means to enact positive change.

    2. mr lava lava

      ‘ secondary school teachers with delusions of grandeur. ‘ …Hang on ..dont most teachers have at least basic Irish? If only to slag off pupils to other teachers in the corridors? .

  6. joe

    Considering the relatively small number of people involved and the fact that these areas have their own development agency, the real disgrace is that we continue to waste money on a Minister or Junior Minister for this portfolio.

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