Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Teastaíonn uaim é seo a rá. We have two languages in this country, English and Irish. Both are our languages, languages of the Irish people. A majority speaks English and a minority speaks and understands English and Irish. This is replicated in Dáil Éireann. It is not acceptable that there are just about half a dozen headphones in the Dáil at the moment through which people who do not understand Irish can follow a debate in Irish. As somebody who served in the European Parliament, I can say that it was quite normal for people from dozens of different countries to understand each other's language, because everybody wore their headphones. I appeal to the Ceann Comhairle, or whoever is responsible, to ensure a sufficient number of headphones is made available here. We have a person translating any Irish spoken in the House so that Deputies who do not understand Irish can follow the debate. Theastaigh uaim an méid sin a rá.

Tá an t-am an-ghairid, ach an cheist atá agam don Taoiseach ná, an bhfuil aon tuiscint ag an Rialtas ar cé chomh práinneach agus atá cás na Gaeltachta i láthair na huaire maidir le labhairt na teanga agus maidir le féidireacht do chlanna agus do dhaoine cur fúthu sa nGaeltacht agus saol seasmhach a bheith acu sa Ghaeltacht, le jab, le teach agus a leithéid? An dtuigeann an Rialtas cé chomh géar agus atá an ghéarchéim eacnamaíochta ag cur isteach ar an nGaeltacht agus ar an nGaeilge, leis an oiread sin duine óg atá ag imeacht ó na Gaeltachtaí agus an oiread sin duine óg le Gaeilge ag imeacht ó ghach áit sa tír?

Maidir leis an bhfochoiste Rialtais a bhaineann leis an Ghaeilge agus na Gaeltachtaí, cad iad na hathruithe a gcuirfidh an Rialtas chun cinn anois maidir leis na fadhbanna seo? Freisin, nach náireach an rud é nach féidir fós le lucht labhartha na Gaeilge, go háirithe muintir na Gaeltachta, glaoch a chur ar aon Roinn Stáit agus a bheith deimhin de gur féidir leo freagra a fháil as Gaeilge, nó duine éigin a fháil a labharfaidh Gaeilge leo? In ionad san, deirtear leo glaoch ar ais nó "call back in a few days". Nach bhfuil an cheart ag daoine a dteastaíonn uathu gnó a dhéanamh trí Ghaeilge go mbeadh duine éigin i ngach Roinn Stáit le labhairt leo ar an bpointe?

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