Sir - In the last week new notices have appeared in the local parks and they are all in Irish. They refer to dogs fouling the park - I know this because they contain a drawing of a dog doing his bit (added to by some local wags in case you miss the point). My Leaving Cert Irish couldn't make head nor tail of the script.

Has Dublin now become a Gaeltacht area? There are bilingual notices, also by Dublin City Council, on this matter, which can be seen on local poles, so why the change? Has the 'Minister For Shoving Irish Down Your Neck' been at it again or has some 'gaily gorey' in the council been let loose?

My trouble is that my mutt, although very good at 'doggerel', refuses to learn Irish. I think it's all the thistles that puts him off.