Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)

Le cead an Tí, roinnfidh mé mo chuid ama leis an Teachta Ciara Conway.

Tá an-áthas orm deis a fháil labhairt ar an mBille seo. Is Bille tábhachtach é don Ghaeltacht agus dos na mílte cainteoirí Gaeilge ar fud na tíre. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as an obair a rinne sé ar an mBille agus as freastal ar na cruinnithe go léir inar deineadh an Bille a phlé. Níl dabht ar bith faoin tiomántas atá aige don Ghaeilge, don Ghaeltacht agus don phost thábhachtach atá aige.

Is onóir mhór dom bheith i mo ionadaí don Ghaeltacht is mó sa tír, ina bhfuil na Forbacha, Indreabhán, Ceantar na n-Oileán agus Ros a' Mhichíl, agus lár na cathrach i nGaillimh chomh maith. Is í an teanga a chuireann leis an gculrúr saibhir atá le feiceáil i nGaillimh agus is cathair dhá-theangach í, rud a bhfuilimid an-bhródúil as. Nárbh iontach an rud cultúr na Gaeltachta a fheiceáil ar fud na cathrach i rith an Volvo Ocean Race an tseachtain seo caite, leis na curacha agus báid tradisiúnta in éineacht leis na luaimh móra ó gach aird den domhan?

Tá an Bille tábhachtach, ní hamháin do thodhchaí na Gaeltachta, ach do thodhchaí na teanga fresin. Cuireann sé próiseas pleanála teanga le chéile a leanann ón straitéis 20 bliain. Beidh plean teanga éagsúil ag gach comhluadar agus tá 19 gcomhluadar ina n-iomlán. Tá dhá cheann i nGaillimh, na Forbacha-Ros a' Mhichíl agus An Cheathrú Rua-Ceantar na n-Oileán. Beidh Údarás na Gaeltachta agus na comhluchtaí éagsúla Gaeilge i ngach ceantar freagrach as an stratéis a chur infeidhm. Fáiltím roimh an bpróiseas sin.

There has been consternation in some circles over the change in the authority and composition of the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta. Sometimes an attempt is made to isolate the Gaeltacht rather than to view Irish as a phenomenon that is part of the entire country. If one creates an authority that looks after the Gaeltacht alone and separates it from the language, one creates pockets of Irishness and of the Irish language as opposed to regarding the language as a part of everybody's culture throughout the country.

To have the newly composed board looking after the development of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht with the plans and to have Foras na Gaeilge working outside the Gaeltacht with a similar objective creates a much more broad strategy for the Irish language than the strategy simply saying a certain pocket must survive. It is a question of saying we must protect what we have and also develop and expand. The new structure of Údarás na Gaeltachta, which entails working with Foras na Gaeilge as the North-South body, is very much to be welcomed and endorsed.

I am glad the enterprise function of Údarás na Gaeltachta is being maintained to the extent that it will work and share resources with Enterprise Ireland and the IDA. The latter bodies are experts in this regard. It has been shown that they can work very well together. It was announced that Mylan is to create hundreds of new jobs in the Gaeltacht. This project was worked on by the IDA in conjunction with Údarás na Gaeltachta. This represents very good and efficient use of resources.

The Irish language is a beautiful cultural asset and makes Ireland different from the rest of the world. The language, in itself, is an expression of difference. This is evident in the Gaeltacht, where there are different traditions and sayings and different ways of doing things and thinking. The language is a verbal expression of a difference in culture and it is extremely important that we maintain it.

Sometimes the institutional way in which we deal with the Irish language, as in the education system, is such that the language is just seen as one of words. This approach to teaching the language to young people in the education system and bodies of State turns people off. It is just a different way of saying the same thing. We should be saying Irish is a different language with a different culture and that it is associated with a different sense of Irishness that one can access and participate in, thus making oneself and society richer.

I welcome the Bill. It presents a great opportunity to develop the Irish language and maintain it in the Gaeltacht areas. It should be maintained, given space to develop and expand. We must look beyond the Gaeltacht to create Irish language strategies in every community. The Gaeltacht movement, from the Gaeltacht schools to those who have developed an interest in the language, is going from strength to strength. There is a great future for the language and this legislation is one step along the way. I am sure the Minister of State will agree there is definitely space for a broader debate on Stráitéis 20 Bliain and other measures we can take to encourage and protect Irish and look after the communities for whom it is the first language. The unique pockets of culture and identity should be protected.

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