Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I lend my support to this amendment that proposes to delete "regulator" and "rialálaí" a chur isteach. Is feirmeoir an-bheag mé ar na Sléibhte Chnoc Mhaoldomhnaigh i gCaisleán Nua i dTiobraid Árainn.I am a sheep farmer. It is important that we use the Irish language as often as we can and this is a simple amendment. It is not a lengthy translation. It is only one word. I think the Irish language has been diminished and caillte. Pádraig Pearse said that tír gan teanga was not a nation at all.

Mention was made by Deputy Ó Snodaigh of An Garda Síochána. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle might allow me nóimeád amháin. The new 999 or 112 emergency service is now called the police service.

Why are these things being changed incrementally without any consultation? They might tell us that they had a consultation on it. We are not the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the PSNI. That was brought to my attention only last week. If you dial this number now you do not get through to An Garda Síochána, but the police service of Ireland. I do not like that. There is nothing wrong with the people working in it. When we need to dial 999 I suppose it does not matter what language it is in, as long as they come go tapaidh. There is often a wait. We are losing it. I commend the proposer of this amendment. I look forward to it being accepted by an Aire. We are not going to give up all our cultural heritage because it is important that we are ag úsáid na Gaeilge.

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