Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue. Although Dingle is not in my constituency a number of individuals from Dingle have been in contact with me in the past two weeks regarding the uncertainty surrounding the signposting of their town, which continues to be a matter of grave concern among the vast majority of Dingle's inhabitants.

A recent survey carried out by local businesses has shown that 84% of tourists who travelled to Dingle by car over the St. Patrick's holiday weekend experienced difficulty finding the town because of the omission of the name Dingle from signposts. The survey was conducted in a number of local bed and breakfasts, restaurants, shops and pubs in the town. Tourists were asked whether their visit was hampered by the omission of the word Dingle from the signposts, which, since the introduction of the place names order by Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, read only "An Daingean". Some 84 out of the 100 tourists surveyed said they had difficulty finding the town travelling by car and 95% said they knew the town only as Dingle not as An Daingean. Some 94% indicated it would be more beneficial to visitors to the area if the names on the signposts were indicated in English and in Irish. Some 93% indicated they preferred the name Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis.

One visitor from Iceland said he and his companion wasted a considerable amount of time trying to find the town after a long journey and was very annoyed not to see signs to Dingle. Mike Ekberg from Iceland stated: "Our guidebook helped us to clarify that we were in Dingle. Without this help we might have been lost. In Kinsale and Kenmare, our inn keepers referred to this town as Dingle".

The survey came about following mounting frustration in the town owing to confusion being experienced in the town by tourists. Local bed and breakfasts report that the past winter was the quietest they ever had and fear that casual trade, that is, those travelling by car without a set plan, is bypassing Dingle as the name can no longer be seen on any signpost in Kerry. Locals point out that bilingual signposts are in place both inside and outside Gaeltacht areas in Cork, Galway, Mayo and Donegal, and they ask why Dingle is the only town to have had its name taped over.

A total of 93% of local qualified electors in the area voted to return the bilingual names of Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis last October. It is unfortunate that the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, is not present tonight, given that he is responsible for causing this confusion. I hope the Minister of State will clarify, once and for all, what is the Government's real intention with regard to restoring Dingle's original names.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I understand Deputy Deenihan's desire to raise an issue of particular interest to the people of the town and of the Corcha Dhuibhne Gaeltacht. The Minister's placenames order of December 2004, issued under the Official Languages Act 2003 and covering in excess of 2,300 placenames, had the effect of changing the placename of Dingle to An Daingean. Under the 2003 Act, there are three contexts only in which the use of the English language version is no longer permissible: Acts of the Oireachtas and statutory instruments; road and street signs erected by or on behalf of a local authority; prescribed maps produced by Ordnance Survey Ireland.

As recognised by the Official Languages Act 2003, placenames are an important component of local identity. Placenames orders give legal status to the Irish language placenames of Gaeltacht areas, but do so without preventing the continued use of the English language version by any private citizen. On 20 October 2006, Kerry County Council conducted a plebiscite under the Local Government Act 1946 to ascertain whether the majority of the qualified electors in the non-municipal town of An Daingean consented to an application being made to the Government for an order changing the name of An Daingean to Dingle Daingean Uí Chúis. Of the 1,222 electors, 1,005 gave their consent to Kerry County Council's proposal. The county council then resolved to apply to the Government to make an order under Statutory Instrument No. 77 of the Local Government Act 1946 to change the name to Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis, which the Minister, Deputy Roche, received in November 2006.

Kerry County Council conducted the plebiscite having previously been informed of the conclusion of the Attorney General, issued on 7 April 2006, that the local government code could not be used to change the name of a place subject to a placenames order, such as An Daingean. In view of this advice, it is not legally possible to give effect to the plebiscite while An Daingean is subject to a placenames order.

The Minister, Deputy O'Cuív, has sought to resolve local concerns through regular visits and meetings with the local community and its elected representatives at which alternative and complementary approaches were considered. He has indicated that tourist signs could use the English version of Dingle, provided that they are not erected by a local authority. However, it is not within his powers under the Official Languages Act to declare a bilingual placename.

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, has also recently met interest groups from the town and its hinterland and he is aware of the strength of local feeling on this issue. Kerry County Council's plebiscite has articulated the views of the townspeople. However people living in the wider area, who regard An Daingean as the capital of the Chorca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht, have expressed support for continuation of the official placename of An Daingean.

This placename issue and its legal complexities are the subject of deliberations involving the relevant Ministers, Departments and the Attorney General. The Government's position will be determined shortly having regard to all the factors involved.