Joe O'Toole (Independent)

The matter of the GPA and GAA has been raised on a number of occasions in the past two weeks. I have hesitated to become involved in the matter and should declare an interest, in that I am part of the negotiating team dealing with the GPA on behalf of the GAA. The GAA and the GPA reached an agreement, of which I was part, and signed off on it more than one year ago. That agreement was brought to the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism prior to the election but it was not acceptable to his Department. We went back to the drawing board with the GPA and Dessie Farrell, myself and a few others hammered out another agreement which was signed off on. There is complete agreement on both sides and once again the agreement was brought to the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism. To some extent, it was not acceptable to the Department.

There is no disagreement between the GPA and the GAA. They are in full agreement that this should be administered by the Sports Council. The Sports Council is a creature of Government and, therefore, it depends on Government to make it work. Any difficulties are minor. This merely needs political will and a decision at a high level to make it work. I believe the Minister, Deputy Brennan, is supportive of the idea but somebody needs to call the shots which is all that is required at this stage. That is the official position.

Ba mhaith liom filleadh ar ábhar ar a labhair mé go minic anuraidh, sé sin ceist Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis. I understand the Government has agreed with Deputy Healy-Rae that the wishes of the people of the town be granted and the name be changed back to Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis or a choice of either of those. That was determined by a plebiscite with 97% in support. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government should take this on board and make the decision required. There must be a period of time between the Minister issuing a regulation to change a name back to what it should be and the time it comes into operation. Will the Leader raise that matter on my behalf?

This trouble with Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis, Gort and other places would not have arisen if the Local Government Act 2001, which was initiated in this House and allowed people to make a decision by plebiscite on the name of their area, was commenced. The Deputy Leader might raise with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the importance of commencing the Local Government Act 2002, which was passed four years ago and gives local authority to local people in the naming of the places in which they live.