Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 5 December 2017

Seanad Public Consultation Committee

Status, Treatment and Use of the National Anthem

10:00 am

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the witnesses for their contributions. Regarding the nationalism to which the Minister of State referred, I think we all agree that we need civic nationalism, which is all-inclusive, not the old, exclusive nationalism of the past. I think Seán Lemass spoke about it as a patriotism which he understood to be a combination of love of country, pride in its history, tradition and culture and a determination to add to its prestige and achievements. What we are considering here is the issue of the protocols and guidelines, on which I think we all agree. The fact that we are here and hearing different accounts of when the anthem was written and when it was translated tells us we have not quite yet arrived at a proper understanding of the history of our anthem. However, I am sure we all agree that we have the determination to ensure this is rectified. I agree that the English-language version and the sign language version need to be taught.

Has Dr. O'Dell in his research come across countries in which actions have been taken against groups, organisations or individuals for inappropriate use of the national anthem? We have been in contact with the Canadian Government, which has adopted a kind of middle ground model whereby it has enshrined the English-language version and the French-language version of the national anthem in their law and then devised protocols separate from the law as to what should and should not happen. This is a matter of the law of unintended consequences, to which the Minister of State referred. Regarding the history of sanctions, in Ms Tunney's experience, have actions been taken? I have seen the Irish flag used to advertise products. Is there a history of a government sanctioning organisations? I have seen products labelled "Ireland's favourite whatever" with the Irish flag on them that are produced elsewhere. Would that be a breach of the current emblems and copyright legislation and patent legislation?

I thank Alain and the students from Bishopstown for coming before the committee and for their support for the Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill, which, it is to be hoped, the Government will pass in the Dáil on 14 December. This would be a great Christmas present for the 50,000 members of the deaf community, which the justice committee has described as suffering extreme marginalisation. We are learning here that nothing shows the marginalisation of a community more than when its members' national anthem is not in their own language. That is one thing we will have to rectify. Given the fact that Denise, John and Alain have made the argument, we will give them the job of coming up with the sign language version for the nation, if that is not too big a job for them. As they will have learned from the chaotic history of the Irish national anthem, everyone now has a part to play in ensuring we get it right for once and for all. Even though the ancestors of the man who got it officially recognised on the record of the Dáil had to come over with Strongbow in 1169, an issue we are still dealing with 848 years later-----

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