Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)

Ba mhaith liom i dtosach fáilte a chur leis an Aire agus tá áthas orm cúpla focail a rá ins an díospóireacht seo. Is é mo thuairim go bhfuil an-buíochas le ghlacadh ag na gaelscoileanna ar fud na tíre mar gheall ar labhairt na Gaeilge. 'Sé mo thuarim, freisin, go bhfuil an ré sin an bealach amach is tábhachtach chun an Gaeilge a chur le fáil go flúirseach. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil, freisin, le baill na foirne a chuireann an Gaeilge os comhair Títhe an Oireachtais le haghaidh na Teachtaí agus na Seanadóirí, go bhféadfar úsáid níos mó a dhéanamh leis an dteanga ins an Dáil agus an Seanad.

I am delighted to have the opportunity to say a few words on this particular issue. All of us, particularly Members of the Oireachtas, have a duty if we feel it is necessary for our language to continue and develop to be seen to make an effort. If we do not, the blame must fairly and squarely lie on us as legislators for failing to promote usage of the language ourselves and not providing improvement mechanisms for Irish within the educational system. The Minister will be well aware that in the past three or four years thousands of Brazilians have come to County Galway, including to my constituency and that of the Minister. In the town of Gort they have, through their own initiative, improved their English and, in some cases, developed a command of Irish in the local primary and secondary schools.

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