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€65m on Irish road signs

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  • 08-11-2013 12:35pm
    #1
    rawn
    Registered Users Posts: 3,093 ✭✭✭


    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/green-light-for-plan-to-make-road-signs-more-irish-29736922.html
    – the National Roads Authority (NRA) has just spent €65m re-signing the road network – the new ones may be used when needed.

    Mr Varadkar has asked the NRA to consider using them on a trial basis, but new regulations must be passed before they can be put in place.

    Existing road-sign legislation stipulates that priority must be given to English place names.

    "I like the new design and I do think there should be parity between Irish and English where it matters, like road signs that people see every day," Mr Varadkar said. "But it's a bit like an election poster – it's only when you put it on a road and drive past that you really know whether it works.

    "I have been in touch with the NRA and they are considering putting up a few signs on a trial basis to see what people think. These would be new signs that have to go up anyway so there would be no additional cost involved."

    If it goes ahead, it means that road signs will be compliant with the Official Languages Act for the first time.

    Julian de Spainn, from Conradh na Gaeilge, said the idea was first mooted a number of years ago, but the last government wasn't keen.

    "It's about the language. All these things make a difference. We teach children about the importance of language, and they go outside and see that English is more prevalent on road signs. It differentiates us from other countries, too, which can only be a good thing for tourism."

    The NRA said it was an "interesting proposal" and while it did have bilingual signs, it "looked forward" to implementing the idea.

    "This initiative is being proposed by the minister and Department of Transport, and we look forward to their direction on it," a spokesman said.

    Does anyone else see this as a massive waste of time and money? I still cannot understand why we cling to this dead language so fiercely. We live in a country where people either speak both Irish and English, or just English. We don't need Irish translations everywhere. Don't get me started on the pointlessness of mandatorily teaching it in schools :rolleyes: Surely it's time we stopped fighting to keep the Irish language relevant?


«1345678

Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Madam
    Registered Users Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Madam


    Oh no, not this old chestnut again - it's getting boring:mad:


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    #3
    Shenshen
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,453 Mod ✭✭✭✭Shenshen


    €65 million....

    As a driver, I have to say I wish they spent that money on decent road signs (as opposed to writing instructions on the roads) and invested in some reflective paint so you could still see the road markings in the dark and rain.

    Different priorities, I guess. Language first, safety second.


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    #4
    SEPT 23 1989
    Registered Users Posts: 43,024 ✭✭✭✭SEPT 23 1989


    65 million would be better used on starting to build the new National Children's Hospital


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    #5
    sbsquarepants
    Registered Users Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭sbsquarepants


    The man makes a good point though - every single person in this country who could make any sense of a road sign as gaeilge, could also understand it as bearla. Makes zero sense to spend €65m insuring they can understand it in 2 languages.
    Also, am I the only one who thinks spending €65m on something we MAY use if needed and even then only if the law is changed to suit - is the work of a fúcking imbecile!


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    #6
    rawn
    Registered Users Posts: 3,093 ✭✭✭rawn


    If the money had to be spent to replace damaged or confusing signs, fair enough, but simply just to put Gaeilge on them? What's Irish for priorities? :p


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    #7
    Driveby Dogboy
    Site Banned Posts: 257 ✭✭Driveby Dogboy


    thats a bit irish


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    #8
    Mint Sauce
    Registered Users Posts: 29,294 ✭✭✭✭Mint Sauce


    Didn't they only replace alot of the signs in the last few years?

    :confused:


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    #9
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    That money could have been better spent on...





    me!


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    #10
    wazky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,516 ✭✭✭wazky


    Sure who needs signs when everybody knows where they are going?

    They are only of use to dem forgienders, coming over here reading our signs.


  • Options
    #11
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,121 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    While no signs will be replaced in the short-term – the National Roads Authority (NRA) has just spent €65m re-signing the road network – the new ones may be used when needed.

    It's for future signs, not for replacing the existing ones.

    There is editing worthy of the Independent in the OP.


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    #12
    Driveby Dogboy
    Site Banned Posts: 257 ✭✭Driveby Dogboy


    they should have the distance in Irish in miles, and the english in kilometers

    though i dont know should it be the statute mile, or the Irish mile


  • Options
    #13
    CrazyRabbit
    Registered Users Posts: 8,659 ✭✭✭CrazyRabbit


    Roads signs need to be short. Long signs or confusing signs take away drivers attention from the road for too long.
    We do not need signs with road names in Irish. It is completely and utterly pointless and offers zero benefits.
    The ONLY exception would be in regions were Irish is the primary spoken language.


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    #14
    Capercaille
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,077 ✭✭✭Capercaille


    SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »
    65 million would be better used on starting to build the new National Children's Hospital
    Billions wasted on social welfare would help also.


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    #15
    Sheldons Brain
    Registered Users Posts: 1,394 ✭✭✭Sheldons Brain


    Marvellous how people who wish to exterminate Ireland as anything other than an appendage of England find something to post about. Cromwell would be proud.


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    #16
    rawn
    Registered Users Posts: 3,093 ✭✭✭rawn


    Deleted User wrote: »
    It's for future signs, not for replacing the existing ones.

    There is editing worthy of the Independent in the OP.

    Is it better or worse that €65m was spent on signs that we don't need right now?


  • Options
    #17
    K-9
    Registered Users Posts: 43,311 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    Local town council here spent a fortune on new signs for tourist purposes, look nice but cost €100's of thousands. Then they wondered why they got no backing from the public when they tried to stop the scrapping of the council.

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • Options
    #18
    Iwasfrozen
    Registered Users Posts: 16,250 ✭✭✭✭Iwasfrozen


    Sheldons Brain wrote: »
    Marvellous how people who wish to exterminate Ireland as anything other than an appendage of England find something to post about. Cromwell would be proud.
    Oh whist, that's not what this is about and you know it. We already had bilingual signs.


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    #19
    kneemos
    Registered Users Posts: 20,409 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Most of them are already way too small and cluttered.Adding Irish would make them. Indecipherable.


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    #20
    Madam
    Registered Users Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Madam


    Iwasfrozen wrote: »
    Oh whist, that's not what this is about and you know it. We already had bilingual signs.

    As we do in Scotland but on any Scottish forums I visit there's hardly anyone who complains about the signs - why do the Irish have this need to belittle the langauge they started out with?


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    #21
    humanji
    Registered Users Posts: 19,976 ✭✭✭✭humanji


    Would this be a case of them having x amount of money budgeted this year that they have to spend, otherwise it'll be reduced next year?


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    #22
    Anyone
    Registered Users Posts: 3,376 ✭✭✭Anyone


    The new signs will display the distance to pubs to allow people to easily follow the directions they receive from locals.


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    #23
    humanji
    Registered Users Posts: 19,976 ✭✭✭✭humanji


    Madam wrote: »
    As we do in Scotland but on any Scottish forums I visit there's hardly anyone who complains about the signs - why do the Irish have this need to belittle the langauge they started out with?
    Are people all belittling the language or questioning the waste of money?


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    #24
    Muise...
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,512 ✭✭✭Muise...


    If for nothing else, Irish language signs should be preserved as the last refuge of the skinny Tironian et, ⁊ which has been replaced everywhere else by the more voluptuous ampersand &. (of course, this shouldn't be quite so expensive.)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tironian_notes

    /writernerd


  • Options
    #25
    Gmol
    Registered Users Posts: 1,281 ✭✭✭Gmol


    humanji wrote: »
    Are people all belittling the language or questioning the waste of money?


    Bit of both, it's a shocking waste of money though,
    I would love to see a referendum on whether Irish should remain compulsory in schools


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    #26
    Iwasfrozen
    Registered Users Posts: 16,250 ✭✭✭✭Iwasfrozen


    Madam wrote: »
    As we do in Scotland but on any Scottish forums I visit there's hardly anyone who complains about the signs - why do the Irish have this need to belittle the langauge they started out with?
    It's not about the language. The new signs are ugly and it's harder to see the English name. The money is a complete waste too.


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    #27
    Muise...
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,512 ✭✭✭Muise...


    Gmol wrote: »
    Bit of both, it's a shocking waste of money though,
    I would love to see a referendum on whether Irish should remain compulsory in schools

    ha, because referenda are dirt cheap to run. :pac:


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    #28
    rawn
    Registered Users Posts: 3,093 ✭✭✭rawn


    Gmol wrote: »
    Bit of both, it's a shocking waste of money though,
    I would love to see a referendum on whether Irish should remain compulsory in schools

    Same. But then of course, if we got rid of the Irish language, we'd have to commission new road signs purely in English. Wonder how much that would cost? :rolleyes::rolleyes:


  • Options
    #29
    Gmol
    Registered Users Posts: 1,281 ✭✭✭Gmol


    Muise... wrote: »
    ha, because referenda are dirt cheap to run. :pac:
    cheaper than 65million on signs


  • Options
    #30
    Iwasfrozen
    Registered Users Posts: 16,250 ✭✭✭✭Iwasfrozen


    rawn wrote: »
    Same. But then of course, if we got rid of the Irish language, we'd have to commission new road signs purely in English. Wonder how much that would cost? :rolleyes::rolleyes:
    Don't replace them, just wait for them to be replaced naturally.


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    #31
    keith16
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭keith16


    considering putting up a few signs on a trial basis to see what people think. These would be new signs that have to go up anyway

    We're putting them up on a trial basis but we have to put them up anyway....WTF?


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