“THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY” THAT ICONIC SCENE – NOW SERVED CHINESE STYLE “FRESHLY CHOPPED” IN THAT NOT SO “NEAT PIZZA”

Having read an article in The Irish Times, by Sorcha Pollak. On Friday, April 16,2021. In which she recounts the experience of a Chinese couple, Fengzhe Qiu and his partner Lijing Peng. Who, when having made their application for their naturalisation, in the Irish language; Only to have their forms returned to them, with orders to re-apply, IN ENGLISH ONLY!

streetdogs the word on the street, was therefore not surprised, when one of our regular readers related to us, this little story of the following situation, which they, themselves had experienced very recently.

This said reader, applied for a position with a certain catering enterprise, operating in a number of Dublin locations. Naturally of course, our reader was requested to complete a standard job application form, by the interviewer.

First item asked: Applicants First name. Second item asked: Applicants last name. Third item asked: APPLICANTS ENGLISH NAME!

Our reader, being a person with an Irish language name, inquired of the interviewer, as to what was this question doing there on this application form; And were they expected to use an English form of their correct name, while working with this company? The response given by the interviewer was “Oh, that doesn’t apply to you, it’s for the likes of Chinese people! We have a Chinese person working for us, who has a Chinese name, but that person has to use the English name we use with them!”.

A seriously big question is, leaving all other things and aspects aside; Is this question even legally permitted in this State? As our reader pointed out; If they were stopped at a Garda traffic check point, and were asked to produce their driving licence, That said Garda, could not, by the laws of the State, demand our reader to give an English language name, instead of the Irish language name on our readers licence!

One has to ask, should not the WRC, investigate this under, The Employments Equality Acts (EEA) 1998 -2004. and The Equal Status Acts 2000 – 2004. And perhaps also by some other legal authority?