Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Bail ó Dhia oraibh go léir agus guím Seachtain na Gaeilge faoi mhaise oraibh. Tugaim faoi deara an méid a dúirt Julian ag an tús faoi cé chomh práinneach agus atá an dul chun cinn maidir leis an reachtaíocht seo. Bhí mé éisteacht leis an gcaint ar fad agus tá mé ag iarraidh a chíoradh cad iad na constaicí? Cén fáth go bhfuil na bacanna uilig ann agus go bhfuilimid ag fanacht chomh fada seo le dul chun cinn maidir le buanú agus cur chun cinn cearta lucht na Gaeilge? Tugadh gealltanais i gComhaontú Aoine an Chéasta, arís i gComhaontú Naomh Aindriú agus ansin sa doiciméid Ré Nua, Cur Chuige Nua. An é gur bac polaitiúil a bhaineann leis an deighilt sa tír idir náisiúnaithe agus aontachtaithe atá ann? Ag an am céanna, feicimid ag an taobh seo den tír freisin cé chomh faillíoch agus cé chomh lochtach agus atá an dul chun cinn oifigiúil agus praiticiúil maidir le cearta mhuintir na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn.

Ba bhreá liom fiafraí dár n-aíonna cad iad na príomhbhuntáistí a bhaineann leis an reachtaíocht seo. Cad é an difríocht praiticiúil a dhéanann sé? I notice what Mr. de Spáinn said about how urgent it is that we get this legislation. I would like him to take us through what real advantages we can hope for from this legislation. Thinking about the constant delays and obstacles in getting progress from the Good Friday Agreement, the St. Andrews Agreement and New Decade, New Approach, is this political or about the reluctance of unionists? We spoke at this committee last week about the fact that we are rather one-sided as a committee and do not have that buy-in to the work of this committee. When I look at how inadequate, inconsistent and sometimes insincere the political and official commitment to the promotion and the defence of the rights of Irish language speakers here in the South is, I wonder if it is only about political reluctance rooted in the constitutional question. I know that is a little open but I am interested in what people have to say on it.