Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I agree with Deputy O'Shea. I believe that a directive should go out to local authorities and State agencies in regard to uploading documents onto their websites owing to the cost involved.

There is a major problem in respect of signage, in particular in Gaeltacht areas where signs are displayed in Irish only. In every county on the way to Gaeltacht areas, including in my own county, signs displaying place names in Irish have been painted over and the English version of the place name has been inserted. Perhaps by way of the review of the Official Languages Act consideration might be given to signs being bilingual, with the place name in Irish the bigger of the two, I do not mind. This matter needs to be addressed. We are making a fool of ourselves and the countryside is being destroyed with people painting over signs displayed in Irish and this is causing problems for tourists and tourism in Gaeltacht areas. A man, a fluent Irish speaker, told me he is losing business as a result of the new signage.

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