Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

Gabhaim leis na Seanadóirí ar fad a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht.

I agree with Senator McHugh on the principle of not favouring rushed legislation in general. There is an issue in that respect to be dealt with in the broader scope of how we organise the affairs of the two Houses. The most important Stage of a Bill is Committee Stage, which I am sure the Senator appreciates. The languages Bill was debated in this House in a timely fashion. The Senator may recall that I agreed to recommit the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill to facilitate a full debate on it and no time limit was applied to that debate. That was appropriate as this is the House where issues can be teased out.

Senator McHugh also mentioned the Health (Amendment) Bill. The difficulty in that instance was not with the Bill. The Supreme Court struck down that Bill but if we had been debating it for a year and a day, it would have been on more or less the same principle and it would have been struck down on the same principle. The problem with that Bill was that nobody rushed legislation through these Houses 20 years earlier to close a possible loophole. That is the reason we have been caught with the issue of the back payment.

We are acting on the principle of prudence in regard to this Bill by saying that we do not know if there is a problem but there might be. Where there is doubt, it should be addressed and the possible loophole closed. This Bill deals with a minor technical point in regard to landlords, tenants and builders. That area is complex. I am not a lawyer and, therefore, I have to believe the experts when they advise me there is doubt in regard to an issue such as this one. When it comes to an experts' issue, my view is to take expert advice, but when it comes to a political issue, one should follow one's star and listen to the ordinary people. This is very much an experts' issue and that is why we have brought forward this legislation. The idea behind it is to ensure a problem does not arise in this area in the future and to ensure that State assets are not alienated.

Luaigh an Seanadóir O'Toole teangacha. Aontaím gur cheart dúinn gaol níos láidir a chothú eadrainn féin agus muintir na Breataine Bige agus na hAlban faoi chúrsaí teanga. Tá cuid den obair sin déanta. Bhí mé féin agus an tAireWilson an-ghníomhach i mbunú Iomairt Cholm Cille. Tá obair mhaith déanta ach ó d'éirigh Brian Wilson as an aireacht níl an teagmháil céanna agus tá mé ag breathnú ar Iomairt Cholm Cille le feiceáil cén chaoi is féidir dlús a chur le leibhéal na polaitíochta. Tá sé ag obair ar an talamh ach bhí pointe ann nuair a bhí Brian Wilson anonn agus anall chugainn an t-am ar fad, rud an-dearfach.

Bhí cruinniú anuraidh freisin den British Irish Council sa Bhreatain Bheag agus tá an spéis ag muintir na Breataine Bige i gcúrsaí teanga agus bhí cúrsaí teanga lárnach don chruinniú sin. Chuir mise roinnt tuairimí i láthair faoi cén chaoi a bhféadfadh ollscolaíocht i múineadh na dteangacha Ceilteacha a chur ar aghaidh taobh amuigh de na hoileáin seo ar fud an domhain. De bharr na cúinsí polaitíochta, níor éirigh linn an oiread dul chun cinn a dhéanamh agus ar mhaith liom.

Ba mhaith liom tuilleadh oibre a dhéanamh faoi sin ar bhonn Éireannach agus fágfaidh mé an doras oscailte go dtiocfaidh daoine eile chugainn agus go ndéanfaimid chomh-mhaoiniú. Is mó saoirse maoinithe atá againn anois nó mar atá ag daoine eile.

Co-operation at all levels between Ireland and Britain and between Ireland and the devolved legislative assemblies in Britain should be encouraged. I am always interested in working to find common ground. It is interesting that we recently had experts from Scotland who gave us positive advice on our island experience. However, they also examined what we are doing for the islands. They were interested in how we tackle problems. We had much to learn from them, but they also felt they could learn something from our approach. Sharing knowledge and co-operating costs no one anything.

In regard to the Ulster Canal, what is happening is frustrating. We are sitting on a jewel in terms of Waterways Ireland.