Madam, - Michael Finlay (October 26th) accuses Luas of linguistic laziness and insulting the intelligence of the public in the Irish language versions of the names of Luas stops.
He also regrets that we did not purchase a dictionary.
We did consult various dictionaries and discussed the appropriate Irish version of all stop names with the Placenames' Office of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
Mr Finlay would have preferred to hear Naomh Shéamais rather than San Shéamais as he passed by St James's Hospital.
The former would certainly be correct but following Dineen's dictionary, San is the form often used for foreign saints such as San Shéamais or San Niocolás.
Mr Finlay found Árd-Mhúsaem too much to bear and would have preferred to hear Iarsmalann.
Again, Iarsmalann is a correct Irish word for museum but as the stop is located outside the National Museum at Collins Barracks we followed their lead in describing the location as Árd-Mhúsaem.
Mr Finlay's last complaint was in the use of Sráid Fhearcair for Harcourt stop.
Generally, we have left English proper names unchanged but as Irish speakers have long used Sráid Fhearcair as the address of Conradh na Gaeilge, we thought that it would be appropriate to adopt this usage.
I am pleased that Mr Finlay finds the service provided by Luas so splendid even if some of the Irish language placenames are unfortunately not to his liking. - Yours, etc.,
FRANK ALLEN, Chief Executive, Railway Procurement Agency, Parkgate Street, Dublin 8.