Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Tiocfaimid ar ais do na leasuithe sin. Tá sé ait bheith ag labhairt i nGaeilge ar leasú atá scríofa i mBéarla — aontaím leis an Teachta Ó Snodaigh air sin. Caithfimid féachaint ar an mBille seo ó thaobh an chúlra reachtaíochta eile atá ann, Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla. De réir na reachtaíochta sin caithfidh na hinstitiúidí tríú leibhéil ar fad a gcuid a dhéanamh ar son na teanga. Caithfidh siad go léir straitéis a leagan amach á rá cad a dhéanfaidh siad chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn. Tá straitéis ag NUIG le plean ó thaobh an Achta sin. Téann an dá rud i lámh le chéile agus mar sin ní gá glacadh leis na leasuithe atá curtha síos ag an Teachta Ó Snodaigh because the Official Languages Act already gives that protection and guarantee.

Were I to accept amendments Nos. 5 and 10, this would lead to a return of the 1929 Act because what the Deputy is aiming to do is impose certain conditions on the employment of persons to any position in the university. What we are doing here is trying to remove a condition on employment of persons to the university under the 1929 Act. The direction in which we are going in this case is at the core of the Bill and these amendments would be in direct conflict with it.

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