Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

While I fully endorse and support every effort to promote the use and status of the Irish language, section 5(2) of the Heritage Act provides as follows: "There shall stand established on the establishment day a body to be known as An Chomhairle Oidhreachta or, in the English language, The Heritage Council to perform the functions conferred on it by this Act." Similarly, section 8(1) of the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997 provides that, "The institution heretofore known as the National Museum of Science and Art shall be known as Ard-Mhúsaem na hÉireann or, in the English language, the National Museum of Ireland". In the absence of amendments of these existing legal provisions, which would raise wider policy and drafting consistency matters, I propose to adhere to these existing legal provisions here and in relation to the names of other State bodies by using the English language version of the title in the English-language version of the Bill. The Irish-language version of the titles will, of course, be used in the Irish-language version of the Bill. Accordingly, I oppose the amendment.

On amendment No. 75, I assure the Deputy it would be my intention and that of my Department to ensure that there is comprehensive recognition of our great heritage of Irish language place names. However, the details of the particulars to be included in entries in the register should, within the bounds and directives set out in section 15, which is the key relevant provision regarding the detail of what the particulars to be entered in the register will consist of rather than section 14, be left flexible and a matter of administrative practice that will evolve over time as necessary. For example, the proposed amendment refers to names of monuments and while some monuments have traditional names attached to them, most do not and they may have been completely unknown prior to discovery through modern research. Also, the level and form of information regarding place names to be included within the register requires flexibility. There will, for example, be entries in the register of monuments located in our coastal waters. Accordingly, I must oppose the amendment, though I assure the Deputy appropriate use of both official languages will be a top priority for me in the establishment of the register.

On amendment No. 247, I will ask my officials to consult the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, OPC, further on this matter but I am in agreement with what is proposed here in principle. I intend to bring a similar amendment forward on Report Stage that will potentially provide for additional languages to those specified here, pending discussions with the OPC. I ask the Deputy to withdraw this amendment and we can consider the matter again on Report Stage.