Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá mé ag iarraidh cúpla rud a rá. Tá an Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeltacht fágtha in áit na leathphingine le €6.3 milliún agus gan ach €1 milliún dó sin mar mhaoiniú caipitil. Níl aon tagairt do choistí cobhsaíochta a bhí geallta do choláistí samhraidh Ghaeltachta atá i mbaol. Níl aon athchóiriú ar na ciorruithe a bhí curtha i bhfeidhm ar an nGaeilge agus an nGaeltacht leis na blianta anuas, ar nós scéimeanna agus eagras ríthábhachtach a thabhairt ar ais, ina measc, scéim labhairt na Gaeilge, Gaeleagrais nó an choimisiúin logainmneacha. Níl faic sa bhreis don Choimisinéir Teanga in ainneoin go bhfuil freagrachtaí breise air anois faoin mBille teanga. Go bunúsach, níl aon rud ann a thugann aitheantas don ghéarchéim atá ann don Ghaeltacht nó don dainséar atá aitheanta ag saineolaí an Rialtais go dtiocfadh deireadh leis an nGaeilge mar theanga labhartha sa Ghaeltacht roimh dheireadh na deich mbliana amach romhainn. Is mór an chodarsnacht é idir an easpa uaillmhéine atá anseo agus an €41 milliún de bheartais dhearfacha molta ag mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Ó Snodaigh.

We in Sinn Féin want to build a stronger, fair and united Ireland, an Ireland that is a good place to live and that offers youth a future and old age security. We have a new vision for Ireland. Tá fís nua ann d’Éireann: tír láidir fhéaráilte agus aontaithe. On this, the people are ahead of the Government, like they have been on many constitutional issues in the past, namely, divorce, marriage equality and a woman's right to choose. The conversation on a new Ireland has begun. It has begun in people's kitchens, local shops and hairdressers, but we do not see the Government leading on this. It is a case of lead, follow or do not stand in the way.

We need a Government that will prepare for Irish unity and seize the opportunity that unity brings to build a fairer Ireland. We need Ministers to start these preparations and deliver a citizens' assembly which will be inclusive of all views and opinions and start an inclusive debate on the constitutional future of our island. They should have made provision for this in today's budget.

See this speech in context