§ CAPTAIN DONELANI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that considerable delay is occasioned in the delivery of letters addressed in Irish, in the country districts of the county Cork, owing to the non-appointment of sorting clerks possessing a knowledge of Irish; and whether steps will be taken to insure that at least one sorting clerk in each postal district in the county Cork (including Midleton) shall be acquainted with the Irish language.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINNo complaints on this subject appear to have been reported to the General Post Office in London; but in any case, the Postmaster General does not consider it necessary to take special steps to ensure that a knowledge of the Irish language shall be possessed by persons 1185 employed in the post office in Ireland. He has given instructions that in the event of a letter in Irish passing through an office where it can be deciphered, the address shall be translated into English and the letter sent on to its destination.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANAm I to understand that no steps will be taken to secure the due delivery of letters addressed in Irish?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe hon. Gentleman is not to understand that. But the Postmaster General does not think it necessary to insist that post office officials should be able to speak Irish.
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLThen what steps are to be taken to ensure that letters addressed in Irish are delivered?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINI think that very few who write Irish cannot also write English.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINFor the convenience of the public and of the Post Office.
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLHave you not appointed Welsh-speaking officials in the Welsh post office?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!
§ CAPTAIN DONELANSurely Irishmen are entitled to address letters in their own language.