Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom labhairt ar son an leasaithe seo ar alt 33. Feicimid sa státseirbhís, sna bainc, i bhFeidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte, in Aer Lingus agus ar na comharthaí bóithre that there will not be any change. There will not be any change in what happens on the ground unless it is mandated. Asking the Garda nicely to do it will not work. As referenced by Deputy Connolly, when we listened at the coiste today, at least the HSE representatives came in, held their hands up and confessed they did not treat the Irish language with the respect it deserves. It is either an official language or it is not; it is either given the respect it deserves or it is not. It is not like other languages. They are not official. By not accepting the amendment, the Minister is allowing what has been going on to continue.

We see that all the way across State services. We heard today, for example, about a massive advertising budget of €8 million last year for vaccine passports and portals but there was no respect or aird given to the Irish language. If the Minister wants things to continue as they are in the State and the police service then she will not accept the amendment. I do not like the use of the word "force". It is not "Star Wars" we are talking about. If she wants change, it must be mandated and obligatory or nothing will change.

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