Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

B’fhéidir go raibh an méid a chuala muid ansin níos spéisiúla ná an méid atá le rá agam. Smaoiním siar fadó fadó, dhá mhí go leith ó shin, nuair a tháinig muid le chéile ar dtús báire tar éis an toghcháin. Bhí gliondar inár gcroíthe ag an am agus sceitimíní orthu siúd a bhí tofa den chéad uair. Bhí sceitimíní orm féin agus ar dhaoine eile a bhí san iomaíocht don phost mór, post an Cheann Comhairle, ag an am. Agus é sin ráite, níor éirigh liom. Ní raibh an lá liom. Ba mhaith liom cur i gcuimhne don Teach rud a dúirt mé ar an lá sin. B’fhéidir go bhfuil tábhacht bhreise leis i ndiaidh na seachtaine atá tar éis a bheith ann. Dúirt mé an méid seo ag an am: "in a bilingual House with two official languages we need a Chair who can monitor and, if necessary, step in and apply the rules and protections of this House equally to everyone, whether it be as Gaeilge nó as Béarla." That might not mean much to many here who operate exclusively in English but I ask them to put themselves in my shoes and those of other Deputies here in this House who are Gaeilgeoirí, who were raised as Gaeilge or who have learnt Irish and operate wholly as Gaeilge at this stage or who are rearing their kids le Gaeilge.

I was raised in this city. Gaeilge was my first language. I could not speak English properly until I was seven, and most people say I cannot speak it properly still, but I am most comfortable speaking Irish. I work in Irish, I think in Irish; what is the saying: "work, rest and play". I was privileged in the previous two Dáileanna to be the Chair of the committee here which operates wholly as Gaeilge. It translates nothing, except for whatever the translators translate to English in the background. That was a move which was welcomed by us who are Gaeilgeoirí and those in the Irish society outside.

I am happy I am not the only Teachta Dála who grew up speaking Gaeilge. Many of the new TDs elected to this Dáil did so and are, in fact, raising their children and the families le Gaeilge. One of the first things an Irish-speaking child learns is "ná hinis bréag". Every Irish speaker, and most English speakers, also know what this means by second nature because Irish is a living language, not just a mysterious museum exhibit that needs to be discussed in academic terms with erroneous references to dictionary entries. If I am elected, I pledge not to inis bréag to the Ceann Comhairle or as Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I will operate in all the languages I have, which is Irish and English, and I will treat everybody here equally in both of those languages.

I do not doubt the good intentions of both the Ceann Comhairle and my fellow candidate today for the position of Leas-Cheann Comhairle to brush up on their cúpla focal, and I welcome them. Más féidir liom aon chabhair in aon chor a thabhairt, táim sásta é sin a dhéanamh d'aon duine sa Teach seo nó lasmuigh de. Cuideoidh mé leo teacht ar an nGaeilge atá acu. I believe everybody has Irish. They have learnt Irish. It is sitting in the back of your brain. Sometimes it needs to be stimulated, whether by a pint or by only conversation, I do not know. Many an Irish person has more Irish when they are abroad than they do when they are at home. It is there and needs to be stimulated and I think we should go that way. We should listen to the former Fine Gael Minister, Joe McHugh, and his new book, Beidh Tú Alright. People should look at the journey he took in terms of learning the Irish language when he got landed with a job that he was delighted to take. He put his heart and soul into relearning the Irish language. In many cases, that is what it is.

This job is not just about the Irish language. it is about ensuring all of the Members are represented. In the Chair, we have an eminent and, as has been proven so far, quite able Ceann Comhairle but there are times when the Ceann Comhairle will not be here and it is the job of a Leas-Cheann Comhairle to step in and represent her and represent the Members' interests, which, if you want, are all individually packaged. This is not a party-political position. This is a position where you have independence once you sit into that chair. You have to apply the rules and regulations equally.

I have been on the Dáil reform committee for more than two decades. It keeps changing its name. It had always been the CPP and it is now called the CPPO or something. I have been a member of those and I have worked diligently over those years to try to promote better working in this House in the interests of the TDs, in the interests of us in here being able to do our work as fairly, as positively and, sometimes, as quickly as we can to ensure we are representing not only the interests of our constituents, our constituency and our political parties but also the democracy that has elected us here in the first place.

I urge Members to use the opportunity to remember that this is a secret ballot. It is not in the gift of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste or any political party leader or group leader.

It is in their interests to look at that again and think about who would best represent them as Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

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