Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In response to Deputy O'Callaghan, and not to take this in isolation from the overall Bill but just to be helpful, the guidelines we will bring forward when this Bill is passed, it is hoped with everyone's support, will become national planning statements in the new Act, and they are much stronger than guidance. Other Deputies have proposed amendments to national planning statements and we will discuss those at the appropriate time. That is a much stronger mechanism to ensure those guidelines are followed. Genuinely, I want to be helpful, but when I look through the series of amendments in this grouping, they are very prescriptive.

We have talked about a real issue, which is that all of us want to see our language continue in urban areas, where we are seeing it grow. However, specifically, the real issue is actually within the fíor-Ghaeltachtaí themselves. An fhadhb is mó atá ann i mo thuairim ná na seirbhísí uisce agus séarachais. Ní pleanáil é. Má labhraíonn an Teachta le daoine sna Gaeltachtaí, bíonn siad ag labhairt faoin fhadhb sin freisin. It is not just about planning and it is about other services too, which I know has been discussed. What I am saying to the Deputy is that when guidelines are issued and when we move ahead and get the Bill passed, the national planning statements will underpin exactly what the Deputy wants. Then, it is up to everyone what they decide on the national planning statements front.

In the current development plan guidelines, we have the mandatory objective in regard to Gaeltacht areas. I agree with Deputy Ó Snodaigh on this. It is great to see what is happening in Clondalkin and other urban areas, such as Swords in my own toghcheantar, and throughout the country. These urban areas have very good groups of Irish speakers, along with Gaelscoileanna, Gaelcholáistí, ciorcail comhrá, all of those things, people doing normal business, and Baile Átha Cliath le Gaeilge freisin.

It is different from fíor-Ghaeltachtaí. We are trying to ensure people and families will be able to stay and live there in a sustainable way. They are both important, but what is urgent is the Gaeltacht regions. We hope in the future to create more. That is what we would all like to see. We have seen Gaeltachtaí die, such as Omeath in Leinster, and all of Tír Eoghain, which is outside of our jurisdiction right now. We saw what happened in Maigh Cuilinn and Baile Chláir, which are still Irish speaking. I am acutely aware of all of that.

I am coming back to the national planning statements on Report Stage. I welcome the positive pronouncements from Deputy Ó Broin and others on that. That is the right place to do it. These are too prescriptive. There are issues with some of the definitions. I do not mean that in a disrespectful way.

I will leave it there on that grouping because I will not change tack on those. It has been a useful discussion. I will come back with specific amendments and additions on Report Stage. We read the amendments before they came in. It is good to see such a focus on Gaeltacht issues.