Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

On amendment No. 8 specifically and setting the competency in the language, which we spoke about previously, at the B2 level under the common European framework of reference for languages, the Minister of State has said that is the level of competency the Department is accepting and using. If that is what is being accepted and used at government level, why would we not put it into this legislation to provide clarity? There is a lack of consistency in the approach. As I have said, some local authority planning authorities are using it while others are not. If there is agreement that it is the appropriate level of competency, why not put it in? Why not implement that?

I agree with Deputy Ó Snodaigh. Many of these amendments would not be proposed if the system was working properly to protect the language in the Gaeltacht areas. It is as a result of failures that many of these amendments are in front of us.