Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Tá áthas orm go bhfuil an seans seo agam cúpla focal gairid a rá faoin straitéis 20 bliain dár teanga, an Ghaolainn. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire Stáit. Nuair a chuir an Taoiseach glaoch ar an Teachta McHugh cúpla mí ó shin chun an post mar Aire Stáit um ghnóthaí Gaeltachta a thabhairt dó, bhí a lán daoine ag tabhairt amach nach raibh Gaolainn ró-fhlúirseach aige. Bhí an tAire Stáit i nGaeltacht Mhúscraí cúpla seachtain ó shin agus bhuail sé le han-chuid daoine, idir pháistí, mhúinteoirí agus daoine ag obair i monarachain. Bhuail sé le chumann peile Naomh Abán, cumann peile Chill na Martra agus a lán daoine eile chomh maith. Bhí na daoine go léir lántsásta leis an mblas a bhí ag an Aire Stáit agus an dul chun cinn a bhí déanta aige maidir le labhairt na Gaolainne.

Bhí mé ag éisteacht leis an Teachta Coppinger agus tá an ceart aici. Tá grá don Ghaolainn againn go léir ach b'fhéidir nach mbíonn an seans ró-mhinic againn í a labhairt. Bíonn muid saghas intimidated ag na daoine a bhfuil á labhairt gach lá. Is iadsan na daoine is mó a bhí ag tabhairt amach faoin Aire Stáit nuair a bhfuair sé an post. Is dóigh liomsa go bhfuil apology deserved ag an Aire Stáit. Bhí na daoine seo mí-cheart. Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. Sin seanfhocal. Mol an tAire Stáit agus tiocfaidh seisean freisin. Is saghas linguistic imperialism atá ag cuid de na daoine a chuireann eagla ar ghnáthdaoine nach bhfuil an Ghaolainn ró-mhaith acu. Táimse an-shásta a rá go raibh na daoine as Gaeltacht Mhúscraí lán-sásta leis an Aire Stáit agus an blas Gaeilge a bhí aige agus é ann.

Bhuail an tAire Stáit le roinnt daoine agus tá siad fós ag fanacht chun chloisint uaidh maidir le rudaí ar a labhair siad leis, ina measc cumann peile Naomh Abán. Tá fios ag an Aire Stáit go bhfuil comórtas peile na Gaeltachta ag teacht go dtí Baile Bhúirne in 2016. Tá deontas á lorg ag an gclub chun dul chun cinn a dhéanamh maidir le na dressing rooms atá acu agus cúrsaí eile mar sin. Is dóigh liom go mbeidh an tAire Stáit in ann cuid airgid a thabhairt dóibh.

Tá mise cosúil lena lán daoine eile. Tá cúpla focal agam ach is dóigh liom nach bhfuil mé ábalta caint continuously as Gaeilge. There are a few points I would like to make in the context of the strategy which I think are important. Bhí cuid de na daoine eile ag caint faoi education. Tá sé sin an-tábhachtach. Is dóigh liomsa go bhfuil seans an-mhór againn anois language tourism a chur sa straitéis dár teanga féin, an Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge. Tá sé an-tábhachtach go mbeadh grá ag daltaí ár dtír féin don Ghaolainn. Tá a lán daoine ar fud an domhain gur Éireannaigh, a bhfuil a dtuismitheoirí as Éirinn nó atá grandparents acu as Éirinn. Tá timpeall 40 million people in America who claim Irish descent. It is the same in Australia, New Zealand and Canada and on our doorstep in the UK. There is major interest in cultural tourism. Given the success, for example, of the Wild Atlantic Way, we could backfill it. Along that coastline we could also dot Gaeltacht Mhúscraí and Coláiste na Mumhan. Bhuail an tAire Stáit le daoine as Coláiste na Mumham. Is coláiste samhraidh é sin. We should link together the Wild Atlantic Way and language tourism as attractions. We should link in with models which are already well developed such as the Fulbright Scholarship and the Irish Canadian Fund. With a little bit of imagination, we could link in with other universities. I understand Harvard University has an interest in this concept. We could be on to a real winner. We should not just teach in a sterile learning environment like a university lecture theatre. We should bring people into these Gaeltachts and teach the language in the context of the culture of the area. There is tremendous opportunity for this. It should form a key component of the strategy for the Irish language. Economic opportunity in the Gaeltacht consolidates its population and its work opportunities. This is the surest contribution we can make to ensure the language survives and prospers in the Gaeltacht and outwards from the Gaeltacht subsequently.

The Minister of State could not have been but impressed, when he visited the Gaeltacht, by the level of local entrepreneurship. We visited the industrial estate in Baile Bhúirne, which has been developed substantially by Údarás na Gaeltachta. I wish to salute, in this Chamber, the efforts over many years of the now retired former board member, Mícheál Ó Scanaill. He made a sterling effort over many years in a quiet, efficient and diligent way to assist and develop the industrial estate. It was not just in Baile Bhúirne, but in Ballingeary and in Cill na Martra also. He contributed to the creation of economic opportunity for local people to find work locally. I do not hear enough recognition of the role of Údarás na Gaeltachta in the context of the Government's efforts to regionalise job opportunities. This is a criticism which needs to be taken on board. Údarás has a significant track record in working in the most peripheral and disadvantaged areas with some considerable success. It needs to be woven into the efforts which are being made to promote industry in the regions.

We saw Folláin jams in the Mhúscraí Gaeltacht are building a fabulous new facility and expanding. On the one hand, we have a food industry such as this. There is also the micro-food industry, Putóg de Róiste, which is also growing and expanding quickly in a short period of time. We have long established companies such as Firebird and new companies such as EuroFoil. This full range of industries in a small local community is a real testimony to the knowledge and skill of the people in Údarás na Gaeltachta. We should tap into this knowledge if we are serious about regional development in difficult areas.

Níl mórán ama fágtha agam but to conclude, ba le Naomh Abán an first cruinniú a bhí ag an Aire Stáit agus ba shin an cruinniú is tábhachtaí, is dóigh liomsa, ar an lá sin. Impím ar an Aire Stáit gan dearmad a dhéanamh ar an deontas atá á lorg acu chun dul chun cinn a dhéanamh roimh chomórtas peile na Gaeltacht 2016.

In conclusion, the Minister of State is a great example to all of us who have latent capacity to speak the language. It is regrettable that people abused the Minister of State and criticised him on his appointment. We should not use the language as a badge of exclusivity. We should be much more welcoming and encouraging. There is, as I said at the outset, a latent capacity in all of us, as a result of the drip-drip of the language, to speak it. I could get into the debate on compulsion versus nurture of a loved language. There is a capacity in all of us to speak the language because we all went through the education system, primary and secondary. We probably should be better at it, but we do not get enough opportunity. The Minister of State is an example to everyone of what can be achieved and I wish him continued success in his post.

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