Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I find myself in agreement with the Deputy, not in where we are placing it in the legislation but in respect of what he is trying to achieve. As I flagged on an earlier Stage in this debate, we are engaging with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, as we should be, to ensure this legislation not just complements our legal obligations but complements also the effort to get to where we want to in respect of the Irish language. In section 34, there is a heading, “Planning for provision of higher education”, and within that, section 34(4) refers to an t-Údarás making recommendations to the Minister in respect of requirements for student places. At the moment it lists a great deal of different things that it may make suggestions or recommendations about, but not about the Irish language.

I believe that the Deputy is on to something in respect of the need to look at how we strengthen such provision. We could work with him in respect of what his amendment is trying to achieve in section 34 in, potentially, two places. I do not want to be overly prescriptive in these discussions and we need to engage with him on this but, first, the legislation as currently drafted states: “ An tÚdarás shall plan for the provision of higher education in the State by maintaining an on-going review of the demand for it ... [and] may, for the purposes of subsection (1), consult with—”. It then goes on to refer to assessing the demand for higher education at regional levels, and, in section 34(4), which is probably the most relevant subsection, the recommendations on places. It is in sections 32 and 33, as currently drafted, that I believe we can currently work with the Deputy and I may well table an amendment on Report Stage. I can engage with the Deputy before Report Stage on this. I take the point he has made.

I was in Luxembourg yesterday at EU meetings and was talking to a translator. There is a great number of opportunities now for people with proficiency in the Irish language both in translation but also in the institutions, more broadly, and, therefore, the issue arises as to how we plan for that, as the Deputy referred to. I ask that he might work with me and I with him to see if we can achieve what he is trying to achieve in a different section on Report Stage.

I want to move amendment No. 24 because it is an improvement on what is there but, in doing so, I want to flag, similarly to what I have just said, that I may come back and further expand it on Report Stage. At the moment - and I appreciate that Deputy Ó Snodaigh welcomed this amendment as a start - we have added in a reference to the Gaeltacht areas and we have talked about the meaning of Part 2 of the Gaeltacht Act 2012. “Gaeltacht Planning Areas”, “Gaeltacht Service Towns” and there are “Irish Language Networks” are noted in that Part. I would like to move my amendment No. 24 because it is an improvement on what is there but I also want to flag to the committee that I may return on Report Stage with a further amendment in that regard.