Mr. Darach Ó Tuairisc:

I was saying that I would not want to compare Fíbín or any Irish language group with opera. My point was that a few years ago, the Arts Council saw that opera was in decline in Ireland and it took an initiative to reinvigorate opera, which it did very successfully, and I commend it on that. It could also take the same initiative with Irish language medium material. The UK arts council has an Irish language policy and it also has a Welsh language policy and a Scots Gaelic policy. I understand the Arts Council is not an education board and Fíbín is not trying to teach Irish to anybody. All we are trying to do from day one is to try to express ourselves through Irish. It is a huge part of who we are as a people-----