Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

Tá áthas orm cúpla focal a rá ar an reachtaíocht seo. Cosúil leis an Teachta Griffin, tá brón orm a rá nach bhfuil go leor cleachtadh déanta agam ar mo chuid Gaeilge. Cuirim fáilte roimh fhoilsiú an Bhille seo, atá tábhachtach do mhuintir na Gaeltachta, don teanga agus don chomhphobal. Léiríonn rath an fheachtais gaelscolaíochta dúinn go bhfásfaidh agus go bhforbróidh an teanga má chuirimid plean ceart agus cuí i bhfeidhm. Tá mo neachtanna ag labhairt na Gaeilge agus iad ag freastal ar ghaelscoil. Tá mé an-bhródúil as an gaelscoil i Wilton i gcathair Chorcaí. Cuireann an scoil úsáid na teanga chun cinn agus síolraíonn grá don teanga as a gcuid iarrachtaí. Mar sin, is maith an rud é go mbeidh bailte seirbhíse Gaeltachta againn. Is beag an difríocht idir an teanga agus oidhreacht na bailte fearainn agus na bailte móra. Chuala mé an tAire Stáit ar an raidió le Pat Kenny Dé Chéadaoin seo caite. Labhair sé faoi chuairt a thug sé ar scoil atá lonnaithe í gcroílár Bhaile Átha Cliath, áit ina bhfuil an Ghaeilge mar rogha na dtuismitheoirí agus rogha na ndaltaí. Tá an paisean, an díograis agus an fuinneamh ag an Aire Stáit chun slánú na Gaeltachta a chinntiú ionas go dtiocfaidh ár dteanga faoi bhláth. Tá daoine i gCorcaigh buartha faoin gcóras toghcháin agus an féídireacht go gcaillfí toscaireacht, áfach. Glacaim leis nach mbíonn na hábhair seo furasta riamh.

I support the Minister of State as he presents this Bill to the House. Although I have a great interest in the language, I have allowed my use of it to slip. As somebody with a sister who teaches trí Ghaeilge in Coláiste Choilm and who has two nieces who love the language attending a gaelscoil, and as a lover of the language myself, I must agree with Deputy Creed, who using a great phrase, referred to the "linguistic imperialism" of many associated with the Irish language. Those of us who should not have let the language slip, but who have made and make an effort, sometimes felt we were on a different planet and that our voices were not heard. In light of this legislation, it is important that, based on the 20-year strategy outlined by the Government on coming into office, we consider how we can improve the Gaeltacht regions, the teaching of Irish and the use of the language. As one, perhaps in a minority, who was happy to study and loved studying Peig, Bullaí Mhártain and Fios Feasa, I believe linguistic imperialism has caused our language not to flourish and created a barrier.

We have noted the growth of the gaelscoil movement and how we have changed the curriculum in primary schools. As the Minister of State said on "Today with Pat Kenny" some days ago, there are now gaelscoileanna in the middle of the capital city and the city of Cork. Consequently, young people who do not have the cultural ethos of many of us are speaking Gaeilge and ag súgradh trí Ghaeilge gach lá. This is to be welcomed. It is a matter of changing the mindset regarding the creation of the Gaeltacht and the definition of the Gaeltacht.

Deputy McGrath spoke about twinning and the Minister of State concurred with him. I would love to see an extension in respect of the Gaeltacht regions and service towns. Perhaps we should consider urban areas such as Baile an Easpaig, where there is a gaelscoil in Wilton, or parts of Dublin such as Ballymun with a view to creating linkages so they, too, can become Gaeltacht service towns.

In my cúpla focal as Gaeilge, I expressed concerns raised in Cork regarding the Gaeltacht regions in the county. Mr. Mick Scannell, a very strong, proud advocate of the Gaeltacht, is the type of ambassador we should allow to continue on the board. I do not have a hang-up about the elections. If one examines the excellent publication we received on the Bill from the Oireachtas Library and Research Service, one will note a very strong piece therein regarding analysis carried out carried out as a consequence of the publication of the Stráitéis 20 Bliain. People were unhappy with the board and were concerned about parochialism. They alleged the board was controlled by political parties and said it might not have been representative of community organisations. They spoke of the weakness of the board, its failure to consult and its constitution.

We received an e-mail this morning from Conradh na Gaeilge asking us to speak about various matters. Let us consider the family language support programme introduced this year. Members and others should be aware-----

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