Joe O'Toole (Independent)

How can people in the Gaeltacht run their own affairs? We have spent 80 years ordering them around from Dublin. This centre must be established in the Gaeltacht ionas go mbeadh beocht ann i measc mhuintir na Gaeltachta, i measc mhuintir na Gaoluinne, agus go mbeadh siad ag cur na dtéacsanna agus gach rud eile ar fáil atá ag teastáil ó na scoileanna tríd an tír.

Is mise an t-aon duine sa Teach seo ón nGaeltacht. Every time that I go home, people tell me of their problems. I do not know why there is not a Gaeltacht uprising over the way that they have been treated over the years. The smart comments about Gaeltacht grants are not what they need. They need to be able to live their lives trí Ghaoluinn. In terms of education, that means réamhscolaíocht, primary education, an dara léibhéal, an tríú léibhéal, ollscolaíocht and adult education trí Ghaoluinn. That is what this centre can do. There are other groups that can do things. I spoke to An Coiste um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta last night, with which I have had some differences of opinion in recent times. However, they are doing a good job, and I will not take that away from them.

In Baile Bhúirne, we had something that would deal with Gaoluinn across the whole island at every level of education and provide things that would immediately be used for teaching and learning Irish. If we do nothing else, we must railroad whoever is blocking this and deal with the issue. More importantly, the Minister should tell us who is blocking it, why it has not happened hitherto, and where the problem lies. We must show support for schools and education. In that sense, we might differ with aspects of what Fine Gael is doing tonight, but the bunphrionsabal is absolutely fundamental.