Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I regret how this matter was introduced in the Dáil. I accept that it was not the Minister's fault that it was introduced in this way. We have the usual end-of-term madness, of which I thought we had got rid in the reform of the Oireachtas. I thought there was a new dispensation - new politics - but I regret that that does not seem to be the case.

I wish the Minister well in his new Department. We have known each other for a long time. We have often worked together in good spirit, but there have been other times when we have disagreed. Politics in this country would become very unhealthy if we all agreed with each other all the time. I have never questioned the Minister's sincerity and whether he knew the Irish language. I am one of the few in this country who believe it is people's absolute right not to know Irish and that they should not have to apologise for it. I have also been vehemently strong in insisting on the right of Irish speakers to use the language and not have to apologise for speaking it. I accept that I was fortunate to learn Irish, despite the fact that I was from Dublin. By the way, I never stayed in holiday homes in rural Ireland and hope the Minister will correct what he said. I hope he will apologise for the inference that I had some connection with a holiday home in rural Ireland; I never had. At 23 years of age, I moved to the Gaeltacht to work there by choice. Just because I come from the city, I do not think I should be looked down on by rural people.

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