Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The outgoing Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, said a year and a half ago that it was unacceptable. Will the new Government stand up to the banks or just dish out more of this type of cheap shot?

The new Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht is going back to his old position. I wish him well. He is a constituency colleague of mine. Let us be clear. There are fewer people speaking the Irish language now than ever before. Sa Ghaeltacht agus taobh amuigh de. Tharla sin i ndiadh sé bliana de Rialtas Fhine Gael. Tá sé iontach maith go bhfuil Gaeilge mhaith agus líofa ag an Taoiseach - cuirim fáilte roimh sin agus beidh go leor díospoireachtaí ansin - agus tá sé iontach maith gur fhoghlaim an Teachta Joe McHugh Gaeilge nuair a rinneadh Aire Stáit dó. Caithfidh sé bheith níos mó ná siombalachas. Caithfimid cinnte a dhéanamh go bhfuil an infheistíocht á cur isteach sa Ghaeilge, sna pobail Gaeilge agus sa Ghaeltacht sa dóigh is go dtig linn borradh a chur ar an teanga. Caithfidh sé bheith i bhfad níos doimhne ná mar a dúirt an Taoiseach inniu.

There are great challenges facing this country, one of which is Brexit. I want to welcome the appointment of Deputy Coveney as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Hopefully, Sinn Féin can work with him on that issue. However, this Parliament voted for special status for the North and that it remain within the European Union. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, has a mandate to make that the central negotiating position during the forthcoming talks. I remind the new Taoiseach of the commitment he gave to the effect that, as Taoiseach, he would negotiate for the North to remain within the customs union and the Single Market. There is no doubt that there will be toing and froing over the next number of weeks and months until this Government eventually collapses.

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