David Norris (Independent)

I am sure he has the blas mar tá Gaeilge flúirseach aige. Access by the majority of the public to the ideas contained in his speech would be through the broadcast media and issuing a text to the House does not make those ideas available in English to the wider public. That is only a minor point but it must be taken into account as well. I did not read the article and I did not hear the speech. I am commenting, not on that aspect but on the principle. It is not a full defence for the Minister to state that he issued a speech to the Members present in the House. The speech was in Irish, would be recorded in Irish and would be printed in Irish.