Joe O'Toole (Independent)

Tá an moladh seo chomh scannalach le rud ar bith atá déanta againn ó thaobh airgead a chur amú, airgead a thig linn a infheistiú ar son mhuintir na Gaeltachta nó ar son na Gaeilge. Conas mar a tharla nach bhfuil a gcearta daonlathacha ar fáil do mhuintir Chorca Dhuibhne agus muintir Dhaingean Uí Chúis sa nGaeilge?

An gcuimhin leis an Aire 40 bliain ó shin nuair a rinne an Bhreatain iarracht to change the name of this country to Éire against the wishes of the Irish people? At that stage the Taoiseach of the day, Éamon de Valera made it quite clear that the name of this country in English was Ireland, and in Irish it was Éire agus nach mbeadh aon mheascadh idir an bheirt. Níl ann ach dhá bhliain ó rinne muintir Moyvane gach iarracht logainm na háite a aistriú ó Newtownsandes because it was named after one of the most terrible landlords ever seen in north Kerry. Cuireadh chun vóta é agus bhí tromlach na ndaoine i bhfábhar an logainm a athrú ó Newtownsandes go dtí Moyvane but it was not done because not enough people took part in the election. That was democracy at work.

Recently, I saw that the residents of a small street in Dublin wanted to change the street's name. They were required by the council to have a full referendum in order to do that. Cén fáth nach mbeadh an seans céanna ag muintir Chorca Dhuibhne agus muintir na n-áiteanna eile tríd an tír a n-aistreoidh an tAire logainm a mbailte? Cén fáth nach bhfuil dátheangachas ar fáil, mar a bhí mar aidhm againn le tacaíocht a thabhairt don Ghaolainn? Cad é tá cearr leis An Daingean agus Dingle a bheith ar an fhógra céanna? Cén fáth go bhfuil muid ag cur isteach ar mhuintir na háite agus ag cur embarrassment ar mhuintir na Gaeltachta mar seo?

I appeal to the Minister to take another look at this matter and to consult the people of west Kerry on the issue, as well as the people of other parts of the Gaeltachtaí and the breac-Ghaeltachtaí. In a democratic country, they deserve to be heard.