Ken Foxe's article on the alleged costs of the implementation of the Official Languages Act (News, 15 February) contains several inaccuracies.

Firstly, the act does not make it obligatory that all government publications must be available in Irish and English: only a very limited number of publications must be made available in Irish only, or in Irish and English.

Secondly, the article refers to all expenditure since the act was signed into law in 2003; €6m over a six-year period, covering many government departments, is hardly "astonishing". Neither is it "astonishing" that the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs would account for most of the expenditure: is the government department with responsibility for Irish-language policy and the Gaeltacht seriously expected to not provide its services in Irish?

Finally, the article makes no reference to the fact that services in English also cost money to provide. Perhaps the journalist is suggesting that services in English cost nothing?

Dr John Walsh,

Lecturer, School of Irish,

National University of Ireland, Galway