Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

Tugaim faoi ndeara le blianta fada anuas an dea-thoil atá ann don Ghaeilge. Tá an t-aontas atá ann i leith na Gaeilge thar a bheith soiléir sa Teach seo. Is é sin an bunchloch is fearr. Má fhéachaimid siar ar stair na Gaeilge, tógfaimid faoi ndeara go raibh go leor easaontas ann le blianta fada. Is minic gur bhain easaontas den tsaghas sin leis an pholaitíocht. Ní chóir go mbainfeadh an teanga náisiúnta le polaitíocht pháirtí ar chor ar bith. Tá áthas orm go bhfuil deireadh leis an ré sin. Aontaím go mbeadh sé an-chabhrach cuireadh a thabhairt don Aire teacht anseo chun an ábhar seo, agus rudaí eile dearfacha atá déanta le tamall bhig anuas, a phlé. B'fhiú tuarascáil an gcoimisinéir teanga agus an gradam nua atá ag an Ghaeilge a phlé freisin. Dúirt mé cheana go raibh mé an-sásta leis an óráid a thug an Tánaiste, ina dhúirt sé go mbeidh an Ghaeilge mar thús áite aige in aon obair a bheidh idir lámha aige.

It would be helpful to invite the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, or the Tánaiste, who has also expressed interest in the language, to attend the House. I am glad the Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis controversy has faded into the background because it did not help the goodwill that exists for the language or further the efforts which have been made to promote it. Virtually everybody agrees that a new environment has developed for the language and it would be nice to be kept up to date on developments.