Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

Níor thuig mé é sin. Go raibh míle maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Ná bímís ag cuimhniú ar an údarás atá imithe. We are in a different country. Tá an t-údarás úr ag teacht isteach. Is é an rud atá mise ag iarraidh ins an údarás úr, saineolas agus raon don daonlathas. I seek saineolas or expertise in language planning and in both language and industrial promotion, as the authority has an industrial remit. I assure Deputy Creed, who spoke in this regard, that an industrial remit will be retained. Moreover, there will be a democratic input, as five representatives will come from the different Gaeltacht areas. Hopefully, when a fully formed board of 12 members has been put in place, no Gaeltacht will be left without some form of representation. However, those who are appointed to the board will not be appointed to look after their own little patch or parish. I seek people with wider horizons and a wider outlook on the issue, whose purpose is to save the language in the Gaeltacht. The new priority of Údarás na Gaeltachta will be an teanga a shábháil. Tá rudaí fiontraíochta go maith ach an teanga a shábháil. Sin an fáth go bhfuil fonn ormsa go mbeidh na scileanna seo ag na daoine a bheidh ar an bhord.

Public advertisements will be placed in publicjobs.ie asking people with qualifications in language planning and linguistics, as well as academics and industrialists, to send in their curricula vitae if they think they can meet the requirements for these positions. The process will be open and transparent and this is the kind of údarás to which I look forward over the next five years. Incidentally, the new chairman, who will be appointed by the Government, will appear before the committee and will explain to the people and the members of that committee what his or her aims will be and the reason he or she should be qualified to be the Chairman. This is a new departure. People assert it will be political because the Government will make these appointments. However, it could not be more political than the outgoing údarás. I have nothing against politics, as all Members are politicians after all. Similarly, many county councillors are on the údarás and while there is nothing wrong with county councillors, I seek the kind of mix to which I referred earlier. Incidentally, for the first 20 years of Údarás na Gaeltachta, people were elected. What happened at the last election? There was a political tag put on every candidate. Some were for Sinn Féin, some for Fianna Fáil, some for the Labour Party, some for Fine Gael and some were non-party but they were well and truly tagged and now people want to take politics out of the údarás. All I can say is that I hope the next údarás will not be as political as the outgoing údarás. I hope that satisfies the Deputy.

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