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Ó Bruic Case Highlights Urgent Need To Include Irish-Language Provision in Employment Legislation

Cormac Ó BruicConradh na Gaeilge calls for legislative protection for language rights in the workplace following manager’s warning to employee for speaking Irish

Conradh na Gaeilge believes that Cormac Ó Bruic, a man from the Kerry Gaeltacht of Corca Dhuibhne who resigned his position as barman in The Flying Enterprise in Cork after he was prohibited from speaking Irish in the workplace last month, has been wronged.

Cóilín Ó Cearbhaill, President of Conradh na Gaeilge says:

“Conradh na Gaeilge believes that it is disappointing that someone from the Gaeltacht felt that he have to give up his job as a result of speaking Irish. Cormac Ó Bruic’s case highlights the urgent need to include an Irish-language provision in the relevant legislation to protect the Irish-speaking and Gaeltacht community from discrimination on the grounds of language in the workplace due to speaking the first official language of the state. It’s unfortunate that a company is prohibiting an employee to deal with the public in an official language of the state, if that is their wish.”

Conradh na Gaeilge is calling on the management of The Flying Enterprise to ensure no employees are prohibited from using either of the two official languages of Ireland in the workplace in the future, and strongly supports Cormac Ó Bruic for the stand he took when warned against speaking Irish in the pub.

Julian de Spáinn, General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge says:

“In this day and age, it is hard to believe that anyone would even doubt an employee’s right to speak the first official language of Ireland, in Ireland, without the threat of being dismissed from their job for doing so.

“The relevant legislation needs to be amended – be that the Employment Equality Act or the Official Languages Act or other legislation – to safeguard each employee’s right to use Irish in the workplace and to authorise The Language Commissioner to investigate any discrimination such as that in the Ó Bruic case. Conradh na Gaeilge will put the matter of protecting the right to use Irish in the workplace before the members of the Oireachtas this autumn.”

According to independent research published by Conradh na Gaeilge in December 2015, 42% of people in the south agree that the Irish language is a unique selling point for businesses. De Spáinn continues:

“It is unfortunate that the management of The Flying Enterprise has taken this stance against the use of Irish in this instance, not only because the case infringes on language and therefore human rights, but neither does the management seem to see the benefits that promoting the Irish language could give the establishment. More and more companies around the world are embracing Irish as a unique selling point.”

 

 

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