Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

Cuirim fáilte leis an Aire. Gabhaim buíochas le gach Seanadóir a bhí páirteach sa díospóireacht.

Senator Maurice Hayes made a very important statement. I was considering asking my colleagues not to call for a vote on this motion. However, the Minister has made a wildly political statement with regard to the language and this motion. The Fine Gael proposals were designed to initiate a debate with regard to the Irish language. I recall that a mere three hours after Deputy Kenny made that statement, the Minister came out with a wildly political motion that would encapsulate the thinking of some. I refer the Minister to an MRBI poll on the question of people's vision on that topic. Some 62% of respondents supported the idea.

I wish to remind the Minister of two suggestions as to how the situation could be improved. After 50 years of rhetoric on the Irish language, anybody who misrepresents the facts as they are put by a fíor-Ghaeilgeoir like Deputy Kenny——