Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I, too, will quote Pádraig Pearse. As he said, a nation without its language is not a nation at all. Dhein mé mo dhícheall i gcónaí chun cúpla focal a úsáid. Ní raibh aon Bhéarla ag mo sheanmháthair. Bhí breac-Ghaeltacht sa Chaisleán Nua, mo bhaile, until 1957. Thosaíomar ranganna Gaeilge agus bunaíodh Gaelscoil Charraig na Siúire 20 bliain ó shin. Ní sé san áit céanna anois ach tá naíonra ann. Is dream é a bhí ag Helen Duggan and it is flourishing. I cannot believe the way it is. Tá naíonra eile i gCathair Dún Iascaigh. Kathleen Ní Loingsigh is the manager there, the múinteoir, and it is amazing. I saw them on the street one day: daoine óga ó 30 tír ar fud an domhain singing and reciting as Gaeilge. Dúirt sí liomsa that young people like that from abroad can learn the Irish easier than they can learn the English. That struck me. Therefore, we need to do more.

All of us need to do more. Úsáidfidh mé níos mó Gaeilge anseo. Bhí an Teachta Connolly ag caint earlier on and she was adamant that we should have some ceisteanna here gach seachtain. I agree. This great committee of reform, where many people are trying to deny us our speaking time, might allow ceist i nGaeilge gach seachtain, nó gach lá mar a dúirt an Teachta. Ní neart go cur le chéile. Together we will do what we can.

I salute all the naíonraí, the múinteoirí and the voluntary boards and committees who have supported these naíonraí. We need more. We have a lán bunscoileanna but we need more meánscoileanna as well to let people continue their education. Tá a lán oibre le déanamh againn.

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