Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response and join in paying tribute to everyone involved in developing this as an important cultural festival, including Ms Susan Kirby and others who have given selflessly of their time. However, it is also appropriate to ask whether it can be improved upon. Recently, there was stringent criticism of the festival from none other than the Dublin lord mayor, who accused the organisers of lacking ambition, referred to it as a soulless festival and called the closing off of Merrion Square - he is particularly interested in that area, I suspect - as something that was about raising money rather than celebrating our Irishness and the best of what it is to be Irish.

Can we do better? Can we infuse something of the spirit, success, enthusiasm and vigour of the great fleadh cheoil, which is probably our principal cultural event, into the St. Patrick's Day celebrations?

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