Joe O'Toole (Independent)

This morning, I received a copy of the annual report of an Coimisinéir Teanga. Fáiltím roimh an tuairisc. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach go mbeadh díospóireacht againn ar an méid sin. Ba mhaith liom iachall a chur ar an Leader. D'iarras uirthi an mhí seo caite go mbeadh díospóireacht againn. I would like to have a full debate on the report which contains an interesting description of the placenames order, which could lead to a bit of fun. We should examine it.

On a related matter, the Leader will recall that during her time as Minister for Education there were various difficulties in terms of teaching Irish and Irish language resources. As Minister, she established a group to examine those matters, which issued its conclusions during the period of office of one of her successors as Minister, Deputy Martin.

It was decided to establish a special centre in Baile Bhuirne in west Cork to provide Irish language teaching to support Gaeltacht schools, gaelscoileanna and ordinary schools teaching aspects of their curriculum through Irish. The idea was to use these most up-to-date methods and creative approaches, including information technology. That decision was taken by the Government in 1999 and money was made available for it.

The sod was turned by the following Minister for Education, Deputy Woods. It was also supported by the succeeding Minister, Deputy Noel Dempesy, as well as the current Minister, Deputy Hanafin. Nothing has happened, however, and I have been wondering why. I would like the Minister for Education and Science to attend the House to explain this to us. I have become aware that people within the Department of Education and Science are trying to block this project, as are people within the Irish language association, despite the fact that it has the full support of Údarás na Gaeltachta. It even has the full support of my friend the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, as well as the various Irish language bodies established on an all-Ireland basis.

This project is not happening because some people think that Baile Bhuirne is too far from Dublin and that nothing could happen that far away from the capital that could be any good. This is the most important thing that could happen to the Irish language but I believe there is uisce faoi thalamh here. Somebody is undermining a Government decision and I would like to know why. I have become aware that a submission made to the Department in the last month from An Chomhairle um Oideachais Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta does not reflect the views of 80% of the people who sit on the board of that particular group, which advises the Department. There is something going on which we must examine. I would like the Minister to outline all the facts concerning this case.