Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As I stated at the outset, we have worked on previous Bills, which gave effect to similar changes. The Minister is correct on amendments Nos. 26 and 39, which refer to the titles of different ranks in An Garda Síochána. The titles already exist but prominence is given to the English version. Part of the intention of the Official Languages (Amendment) Act, which we are already seeing in everyday advertisements is that the Irish language will be heard and seen more often than heretofore. That would feed into the use of titles and so on, so that people understand the language in daily use. It encourages others to learn. I will come to different amendments later about the role of An Garda Síochána. As the Minister has acknowledged it is important from the start that new organisations are named in Irish first, so that is what will be used. If they are in both languages, usually immediately or in time the English version will be used. For years Iarnród Éireann and Bus Átha Cliath were the titles but they are now Irish Rail and Dublin Bus. People sometimes shift over time. CIÉ still exists but nobody talks about it. There are examples right across society of well-intentioned titles that start to disappear if they are not the official titles. That is the important role. I am happy to withdraw that long group of amendments, starting with amendment No. 5, on that basis.