Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My seanmháthair did not have any English. Bhí me ag éisteacht leis an raidió inné. It is amazing what one hears and learns every day, and I heard a scéal uafásach. In Galway they want to commemorate a certain fear whose life was taken 130 years ago, when the country was governed by British forces. He was charged with a crime and he did not have any English. The jury had no Irish and they decided his fate. The man in question was sentenced to death and hanged. Bhí an jury amach as an gcúirt ar feadh sé nóiméad. Tháinig siad isteach and they passed on the verdict. I heard the story on the radio, and it was indicated that what is now a car park was a Galway jail. Any of the people imprisoned who were executed or died were not put in marked graves, and they cannot be found today. It was a grave injustice that we expected a man to defend himself in his national tongue when he did not have Béarla and the jury had no Irish. I am thankful we have moved on from that and I salute the jurors for the work they do in this country. We should never forget the atrocities committed against our language, people, heritage and religion.

The officials in the Oireachtas and the Departments should recognise, in spirit and tone, the rightful place of the Irish language, its culture and our heritage, as well as all religions. It ill behoves people to damage an teanga. Nuair a fhaigheann an tAire Stáit am, I hope he will tell me if there is an anti-Irish bias, not only in the people atá ag obair in the Departments but gach duine. There may be only 1.5% of the people working here with proficiency in Irish, and there was a time when people had to have such a proficiency to join the Civil Service. The question must be asked.

Cén fáth nach raibh an tAire Stáit ag éisteacht when Conradh na Gaeilge sent in those 67 amendments? I was not aware until today that the organisation sent in the amendments but not one was discussed. Is mór an trua é. How will people respect this House and how will we engage with people outside the House? They want connectivity as they elect us. We are responsible to the people who go to vote.

I have a ceist eile, although it has nothing to do with this Bill. We voted in a referendum two weeks ago. A returning officer brought it to my notice when I arrived in a polling station that if there is a general election, the names would be listed alphabetically. I know people who have changed their name by dropping an O to get further up a list, as there is meant to be an advantage in being near the top. Why was the "Níl" box not at the top of the ballot paper? It is a simple but interesting question, and somebody should provide an answer. Why was the format of the ballot changed? The "Yes" box was put before the "Níl" or "No" box under the question.

Who made this change? We have a long tradition of listing the names of candidates on ballot papers in alphabetical order and it is tough if a candidate's name begins with "Z". We also have a long tradition of transparency and rudaí mar sin. Why was this change made to the ballot paper?

Some people vote by listing their preferences beginning at the top of the ballot paper, which is their right and privilege and we must salute everyone who votes. Does official Ireland believe it can do as it likes? We, the elected representatives of the people, are not holding them accountable. Members of the Oireachtas are held accountable, as is appropriate, and we should ensure the faceless bureaucrats who make such decisions are also held to account. Who makes these decisions? Who has allowed the situation to arise in which only 1.5% of officials in the Department of the Education and Skills are ábalta gnó a dhéanamh trí Ghaeilge? While I do not have a vendetta against officials, we experience this problem all the time. Whether in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine or elsewhere, the law is always on the side of officials who have scant regard for ordinary citizens.

So, ar son an Bhille, I will conclude. Tá mé buíoch duit as éisteacht liom. I thank the Acting Chairman, Deputy Olivia Mitchell, for her forbearance. I would like to get some freagra ón Aire Stáit nó ó dhuine éigin san Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna ar na ceisteanna a chuir mé.

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