Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

I wish to share my time with Deputy McGinley.

Tááthas orm deis a bheith agam cúpla focal a rá faoin Bhille seo. Tuigim go bhfuil Údarás na Gaeltachta an-tábhachtach do na ceantair Ghaeltachta. Seo an chéad deis cainte dom ó ceapadh mar urlabhraí mé. Tuigim tábhacht na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta. Tá me ag súil le cuairt a thabhairt ar na Gaeltachtaí go léir i rith an tsamhraidh go mbualfaidh mé leis na daoine agus na coistí iontu le héisteacht lena gcuid tuairimí agus pleananna agus, freisin, feabhas a chur ar mo chuid Ghaeilge.

I look forward to working with the Minister and his Department in this important brief.

Fine Gael has already opposed this Bill in Seanad Éireann on the basis that the Gaeltacht is suffering more than other regions with high levels of unemployment, a poor transport network, insufficient access to broadband and so on. The Government is delaying the process under the guise of considering the future structure of Údarás na Gaeltachta and its preparation of a strategy for the Irish language. In reality, it is merely putting off another election.

We believe it is anti-democratic to deny people in the Gaeltacht an opportunity to elect representatives to the body charged with steering the Gaeltacht regions out of this economic crisis. Under existing legislation, the next election is due to be held by 1 October 2010. The Bill denies people in the Gaeltacht the right to participate in this election.

There are plans under the Government's 20-year strategy for the Irish language to change the structure of Údarás na Gaeltachta. The organisation was reviewed in 2006 and recommendations were made in the comprehensive study on the use of Irish in the Gaeltacht, also in 2006. The 20-year strategy suggests that the organisation be placed on a statutory footing as a national language agency under new legislation, but this is not expected to be published for some time.

As Deputies know, there are 20 members of the board, 17 elected by the community and three others appointed by the Minister. The Bill actually increases the maximum interval between elections to the board from five years and six months to seven years and six months. This is undemocratic, and we will be opposing the Bill.

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