Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I wish I could come in here and speak trí Ghaeilge for my whole ten minutes but I cannot do so. However, I hope I will be able to do so in time. It is incumbent on all of us to allow the language to flourish and develop. The gaelscoil movement has shown that the kinds of people who did not traditionally have Irish could take it on and learn it. We must inculcate a love of the language. This starts with us, not with the devolution of power to a chosen few. It must begin with all of us, and that is why this Bill is important. Perhaps on Committee Stage or other Stages, the Minister of State will consult again and listen. He has listened already, however; he has travelled the country to do so. He has no vested interest. I have known him only for the past few years. When I was in the Seanad, he asked me to try to speak as Gaeilge. He did not dismiss me and that is why I want to see our language thrive.

As a former múinteoir scoile, I believe there is something fundamentally wrong if Irish students, on leaving school at 18 or 19, can speak better French and German than Irish. We must change that.

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