Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an gCoimisinéir agus roimh a fhoireann uilig. The Commissioner and his team are very welcome. Tá cúpla ceist agam. Roimh dhíospóireacht an lae inniu, bhí mé ag smaoineamh ar mo chara, Garda Odhrán Mac Ghiolla Bhríde, a bhí lonnaithe i nGleann Cholm Cille agus ag obair sa cheantar. A friend of my mine, Garda Odhran McBride was based in Gleann Cholm Cille in Donegal a couple of years ago. Bhí suim mhór aige sa teanga. Fuair sé spreagadh mór, tacaíocht mhór agus cuidiú mór ón bpobal uilig sa cheantar sin. He had an interest in the language and got a lot of support, help and inspiration from the people around him. D'fhoghlaim sé an teanga arís. He learned the language again. Táim ag smaoineamh faoi na daoine uilig timpeall na tíre atá lonnaithe sna ceantair leathGhaeltachta nó sna ceantair nach Gaeltacht iad.

Tá mé ag smaoineamh faoi na daoine uilig atá suim acu sa Ghaeilge. I am thinking of all the gardaí who have that same interest but who do not have that same chance to learn that Odhran did in Gleann Cholm Cille. An bhfuil buiséad suntasach ar fáil fá choinne na ngardaí uilig atá ag smaoineamh ar an teanga a athfhoghlaim nó a fhoghlaim arís? Is there a significant budget for gardaí who are thinking of going back to learn Irish or to relearn Irish? Chas mé le níos mó daoine leis an suim agus b'fhéidir go mbeidh deis buiséad traenáil a fháil fá choinne na ndaoine sin. If there was a budget ready for that training for na daoine uilig atá ag smaoineamh ar dul go dtí an ionad oideachais i nGleann Cholm Cille, i gContae Chiarraí, i bPort Láirge nó cibé áit, so whether they want to learn Irish in Gleann Cholm Cille, Kerry, Waterford or wherever, that would be níos fearr fá choinne na ndaoine uilig. Mar a deir an seanfhocal, there is a great Irish saying, "Má theastaíonn uait aithne a chur orainn, mair inár dteannta" or"If you want to get to know us, live with us". Sin í an fhadhb sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. If gardaí are not able to converse with the people of the Gaeltacht that creates a barrier straight away. Sin í an fhadhb atá ann.

Bhí an Teachta Aindrias Moynihan ag labhairt faoi na bailte seirbhíse. Tá Leitir Ceanainn creidiúnaithe mar an chéad baile seirbhíse sa tír. Letterkenny has accreditation as the first baile seirbhíse in the country. An bhfuil aon seans acmhainní nó seirbhísí a bhogadh ar aghaidh ar son na teanga sa stáisiún sa bhaile sin, Leitir Ceanainn i nDún na nGall? Tá a fhios ag na daoine uilig agus na gardaí uilig atá aithne agamsa orthu sa Gharda ansin, dá mbeadh deis ag an stáisiúin sin an tseirbhís a fháil, a spreagadh agus a chur i bhfeidhm sa cheantar sin, bheadh sin iontach dearfach. Letterkenny is a Gaeltacht service town so is there a chance to put some sort of services or scheme together there to enhance and promote the language as part of that language plan?