Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire agus fáiltím leis an díospóireacht seo agus an leasú. Tá sé ráite anseo go bhfuil aitheantas ó Chomhphobal na hEorpa don teanga Ghaelach agus í mBunreacht na hÉireann, agus tacaíocht freisin ón Rialtas le haghaidh TG4 and Raidió na Gaeltachta. Ba mhaith liomsa moladh freisin a thabhairt dom Teachta Dála, Michael D. Higgins, a chuir TG4 ar bun. Sin an bhéim atá ar labhairt na Gaeilge agus aontaím leis an Seanadóir de Burca mar gheall air sin. Tá gaelscoileanna i gach condae and gaelscoil nua i mBeal Átha na Slua, mar is eol don Seanadóir de Burca.

Tá suim agamsa sa Ghaeilge labhartha. Nuair a bhí mé mar ábhar muinteora ag freastal ar Choláiste Phádraig, Drumcondra, bhí orm trí seachtaine a chaitheamh sa Ghaeltacht. Tá na habhair muinteoirí le blianta ag dul go dtí an Ghaeltacht agus is maith an rud é sin. Mar a dúirt an t-Aire, tá a lán daoine óga ag dul go dtí an Ghaeltacht.

The question of the living language is important and integration was always part of the primary school curriculum and continues to be in the new curriculum. Senator Ó Murchú hit the nail on the head when he referred to easpa muinín, a lack of confidence which might be due to bias. I taught the Irish language to children who were born in the United States and neither they nor their parents had any bias against the language. The same is true for non-national people who are living in Ireland. The Minister and I spent a few days in San Francisco some years ago. We were asked by some primary schoolchildren how to say one, two, three, in Irish. We did our bit for the Gaeilge there. Many mistakes were made and many wrong actions were taken in the name of the so-called revival of the Irish language. For example, teachers were paid according to their Irish results and there was resulting pressure from school managers and inspectors which was regrettable.

Senator Ryan spoke very well. I congratulate him because this is the first occasion he has not referred to Mr. Val Hanly of Údarás na Gaeltachta. He used to talk about Mr. Hanly having no Irish. Mr. Val Hanly has improved his Irish. I have heard him speaking it many times. The same is true of many leaders in this country. When former President Mary Robinson went to the Gaeltacht to learn Irish, the media coverage was not about her learning Irish but that Galway County Council tarred some roads there before she arrived. This is the kind of publicity it receives.

I will finish with a story which illustrates the perceived snobbishness and elitism that is associated with the Irish language although I do not agree with that perception. Niall Tóibín used to tell a story about the cigire who was always dreaded when he visited the Gaeltacht to examine students. He was staying in a small hotel and while having his lunch one day discovered a fly in his soup. The young serving boy was called over. The cigire said, "Breathnaigh air sin, breathnaigh air sin." The young boy asked, "An chuileog?". The cigire was disgusted and replied, "Ní hea, an chuileog, with a "h". It is feminine." The young boy said, "You have great eyesight, Sir."