Mr. Seán Ó Coinn:

Mar a luaigh mé, tá dhá mhór-rud gur féidir a dhéanamh. An chéad rud ná cinntiú go bhfuil tús áite ag na socruithe a bhaineann le Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta thar comhaontú ar bith eile idir an Ríocht Aontaithe agus Poblacht na hÉireann nó an tAontas Eorpach.

This is to make sure the structures and all the legislative arrangements that are associated with the Good Friday Agreement take precedence over any subsequent agreement that might be arrived at between the UK and the European Union.

Luaigh mé an easpa cosanta atá ar fáil ag an Ghaeilge ó Thuaidh sa chur i láthair, the lack of any protection for the Irish language in the North. The one area where the Government and local authorities are supported in their requirements in respect of the Irish language is the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. It is not a European Union document. It is associated with the Council of Europe but a lot of what is in the document pertains to standards that are affirmed by the European Union. The concern is that the UK Government would gradually move away from those standards because it would no longer see itself as being part of the EU. It underlines, probably more starkly than ever, the importance of some legislative protection for the Irish language in the North. So far as we can see, many of the political parties in the North are now of a mind to look towards some sort of protection - whatever that might entail. Support from the Government in the South would be very beneficial in that respect.