Committee Reports::Report No. 03 - Survey amongst the Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas in connection with the Irish language::20 July, 1988::Appendix

APPENDIX B

SURVEY IN RELATION TO THE IRISH LANGUAGE AMONGST THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS. SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS IN THE CASE OF MEMBERS OF DÁIL ÉIREANN

1.The number of replies


Members of the Dáil who replied:

49%

2.Competence in Irish amongst those who replied


 

Speaking Irish

Writing Irish

Reading Irish

 

%

%

%

Excellent

8

8

11

Good

23

21

37

Fair

36

32

25

Poor

33

39

27

3.The use of Irish


(a)


Frequency

 

 

%

Regularly

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

8

Occasionally

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

22

Seldom

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

27

Never

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

43

(b)


The type of work in which Irish is used

 

 

%

Parliamentary Questions

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

10

Speeches

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

22

Motions/resolutions

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

14

Other

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

16

No reply

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

38

(c)


Reasons for not using Irish more frequently

 

 

%

Lack of publicity

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

5

Lack of competence

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

61

Lack of interest

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

12

Other

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

8

No reply

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

14

4.Constraints in relation to the use of Irish


Members were asked to put the constraints in the order of merit from 1 to 4


Lack of support services in Irish

Lack of support from the Parties

Lack of translation facilities, etc.

Other

No reply

3

1

4

2

(21%)

(28%)

(12%)

(27%)

(12%)

5.The willingness of Members to use more Irish in the future


Prepared to make an effort

Not prepared to make an effort

%

%

88

12

6.Is it worthwhile using more Irish?


Very worthwhile

Worthwhile

Not worthwhile

No opinion

No reply

%

%

%

%

%

27

47

17

8

1

7.Would Members like to learn or practise Irish?


Members would use it

Members would not use it

No opinion

%

%

%

88

11

1

8.Methods of learning and/or improving Irish


Classes

A series of tapes instructional booklets

Other

No reply

%

%

%

%

31

37

15

17

9Special room for Irish to be available


(a) Would such a room be worthwhile?


Worthwhile

Not worthwhile

No opinion

No reply

%

%

%

%

59

25

15

1

(b) Would Members use it?


They would

They would not

No opinion

No reply

%

%

%

%

68

23

8

1

10.Opinions of Members in relation to the promotion of Irish in the Houses of the Oireachtas


23% of those who replied expressed views regarding the promotion of the language in the Houses of the Oireachtas.