Michael McCarthy (Labour)

D'fhoglaim mé a lán Gaeilge i Scoil Phádraig Naofa i nDún Mánmhaí, ach nuair a d'fhág mé an scoil rinne mé dearmad ar mór-chuid de. The problem with the teaching of the Irish language in this country is that one's association with the language ends when one leaves secondary school. I congratulate Des Bishop for reawakening the debate on Irish. He has highlighted the usefulness of immersion education, in particular. Attempts to deny the merits of that method are not worthwhile. We need to learn lessons from it. I question the methodology that is used to teach Irish in our schools. I commend Senators O'Toole and Ó Murchú for using their Munster Irish. Equally, the former Senator, Breandán Ó Riain, used a great deal of Irish when he was a Member of this House.

I agree with Senator Keaveney that a separate marine Department needs to be established. That there is no Minister for the marine at Cabinet level is a huge disadvantage, not only for public representatives who have to deal with the many aspects of the marine sector, but also for those who are involved in the industry. It is not good enough that a sector which should be covered by a full Ministry is dispersed across five or six Departments. It restricts the ability of the Government to deal with marine issues in a coherent manner. As the marine sector, which is worth €3 billion per annum, represents a substantial part of the economy, it deserves a full Cabinet Minister, some Ministers of State and a dedicated group of civil servants.