Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a source of embarrassment to me that my Irish is not better. I grew up in County Tyrone until the age of 12 years and did my first year of Irish at grammar school in the convent at Donaghmore. When I moved to Dublin, I fell between two stools. I have been saying for years that I need to find the time to brush up on my Irish. Even if it were basic that would be better. It is something I intend to work on, if I can find more hours in the day.

It is brilliant to be here. It is a source of sadness that we are having this conversation and that there has been such delay around this legislation. I do not think we should politicise Irish or any language. I have never really understood how we can have language acts for other jurisdictions and not for the Irish language. There is nothing to be afraid of in this legislation, nothing to fear. As the representatives from Conradh na Gaeilge have said, it is not radical legislation; it is a reflection of the arduous journey we have all been on to get to this point and we just need to get it over the line. It will be a huge relief to me, and I think to most people, when that is achieved.

I wish to give the representatives of Conradh na Gaeilge my support. I am in favour of seeing this through. I understand the situation around Covid but the 100-days commitment is there and we must ensure it is delivered on. It took a huge amount of work by Conradh na Gaeilge and by everyone to get to this point and we need to see it through. I thank them for that work and look forward to everybody else's contributions.