Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá ceist ar an ábhar seo agam don Roinn. Ó thaobh an aosa óig de, tá sé soiléir ó na staitisticí go bhfuil an pobal atá againn sa Ghaeltacht níos sine. Tá daoine iontach óga ansin, ceart go leor, ach tá daoine san aoisghrúpa ó 18 bliain suas ag imeacht agus ag fágáil. Fágann siad chun dul go dtí an coláiste agus ní thagann siad ar ais. Téann siad ar imirce. We had a terrible tragedy in Donegal over a month ago now. Four young lads lost their lives in a tragic car accident. Talking to the families, we learned that three of the four had planned to emigrate to Australia quite soon. Some had just got their visas and all the rest. What stood out to me was the number of their friends who came back from Australia. I was talking to one of these friends recently who told me that there was a mass in Sydney at which 100 young people from Donegal and around that area had turned up. It shows where our young people are. It is partly a matter of job opportunities but, as can be seen here, it is a also question of being more likely to have no access to broadband, or no Internet at all, if one lives in a Gaeltacht area.

There are also social issues. I do not want to run down my own area because it is great craic. When we won the Ulster final there was no better place to be for those couple of days than in Gaoth Dobhair. However, because we have lost so many young people, some of the craic has gone out of the area. There is not the same energy and vibrancy. How can a situation like that be reversed? Many people had thought that as austerity eased off people would come home. Some are coming home. Home is where the heart is. Others, however, are still planning to go away and do not see opportunities in their own community.

B'fhéidir go mbeidh an cheist dheireanach oiriúnach do Dr. Ó Caoimh. Ba mhaith liom tuairimí an dochtúra a chloisteáil ar an cheist sin. Ó thaobh na n-oileán Gaeltachta, leiríonn an staidéar seo go soiléir go bhfuil muid ag bun an dréimire ó thaobh seirbhísí poiblí, banda leathan, fostaíochta, agus daonra. Táimid ag cailleadh cuid mhór daoine óga. Tá obair mhór le déanamh ó thaobh polasaithe teanga. Tá an Roinn ag tabhairt tacaíochta do ghrúpaí pobail atá ag déanamh sárobair. Tá deontais agus achan rud mar sin ann freisin ach léiríonn an staidéar seo nach bhfuil siad ag obair. Dá ndéanfadh an Seanadóir Ó Céidigh tuairisc eile i gceann cúig bliana, bheadh sé mar an gcéanna nó b'fhéidir níos measa. Sin mo thuairim. Tá súil agam go mbeinn contráilte. Tá an am ann anois fá choinne positive discrimination ó thaobh na Gaeltachta. Caithfimid pleananna a dhéanamh atá bunaithe ar na fíricí. Tá na figiúirí soiléir sa leabhar seo ag scairteadh amach go hard linn, mar Theachtaí agus mar Sheanadóirí, agus leis an Rialtas agus leis na Ranna Stáit ach go háirithe. Tá an am anois ann le tús áite agus positive discrimination a thabhairt don Ghaeltacht nach bhfuil feicthe aici go fóill.