Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for their presentations. To understand what is happening in the North, we can outline what is happening in the South. I come from the west and learned Irish compulsorily for 14 years at school. Like most of my counterparts, my knowledge and use of the Irish language are very limited. Surveys suggest 42% of people can use the language, but it is more fantasy than fact. Where I live, we are much closer to the attitude of people in east Belfast in our approach to the language, despite claiming an ability to speak it. After 14 years of learning Irish at school, it was a mitigated failure. An awful lot has been done and will be done.

Three years ago I was appointed to the Front Bench as spokesman on community affairs and the Irish language was part of that brief. What happened proved why we had not had success where I lived. A letter was written to a newspaper asking Deputy Enda Kenny to dismiss me from my role because I was not an Irish language speaker. It was written by so-called academics, artists and writers who were well meaning and well intentioned. However, they did not represent people on the ground. The people I met through Conradh na Gaeilge and Comhdháil na Gaeilge and other Irish speakers were understanding and facilitative. There are anomalies that need to be addressed and I thank the people who showed faith in me. Táim ag foghlaim chun mo chuid Gaeilge a fheabhsú. We have much more to do.

Ms Linda Ervine is very welcome. We went to the Skainos centre in east Belfast, where brilliant work is done. On the committee there has been a lack of involvement by Unionist and loyalist politicians. It would be more beneficial for all sides if they were to contribute to it. It would create a better balance.

This issue has been committed to under the Irish language Act, but we are in another situation where the fight is never what it seems to be about. What do the delegates think we should do? Should we have a timeframe for implementation? It seems to be a political football. Where I live, the Irish language was not fully embraced as it was seen to be the preserve of militant nationalism. I have been in the cultural centre in west Belfast and much has been done to preserve the Irish language. Sometimes, however, there is a knee-jerk reaction and people may think the fact that we are speaking Irish is linked with militancy. People disagree with me and have their own opinions, but I can only tell them how tens of thousands of young men and women like me felt. I am proud that we can move forward on this issue and would like to work with each and every one the delegates to ensure the position on the Irish language goes back to what it was 100 years ago. We must take a holistic approach. What has been done in south Derry, as outlined by Mr. Ó Catháin, is wonderful and exceptional. It is the way forward. The gaelscoil approach has been very successful, which is great to see.

After 14 years at school, we allowed the Irish language to be the preserve of elites and so-called intellectuals. What we are doing today is trying to take it back in order that it is spoken by the vast majority of people with no political or intellectual agenda. The agenda should be to increase fluency in the language. We do not have to be expert because we can hardly speak English properly. All we need is a cúpla focail and we should not be afraid of getting it wrong or criticism. I look forward to hearing the views of the delegates.