Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

At the start of the year we had the unprecidented event of An Coimisinéir Teanga, the Ombudsman for the Irish language, resigning such was the disaster of Government policy and commitment to the Irish language. This has never before happened in this State or in any other country. The coimisinéir did not take that decision lightly. He did so because at every step this Government has reduced the level of investment in and emphasis on the Irish language, so much so that people from the Gaeltacht - taxpayers - who want to do their business in the first language of this State can no longer do so because such services are not available to them.

This Government is sending out a horrendous message in regard to the Irish language in this country. It is literally saying that people should speak it themselves, but should not speak it to the State services, including the health services or to us.

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