Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

Go raibh maith agat. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Seanadóir Mark Daly faoi cuireadh a thabhairt do Des Bishop a bheith san Oireachtas inniu. Ba mhaith liom ceist a chur ar an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta nua faoi stadás na Gaeilge sna scoileanna. Aontaím leis an Seanadóir Cannon nach bhfuil morán daoine in ann caint as Gaeilge, cé go bhfuil gach éinne ag foghlaim na Gaeilge agus ábalta scríobh i nGaeilge. Is é seo an t-am ceart leis an ábhar a phlé sa Teach. Tá ranganna Gaeilge ar siúl le cúpla bliain anuas san Oireachtas do Sheanadóirí agus Teachtaí Dála.

I wish to raise a second issue, that of the arts. The appointment of Deputy Mansergh to the position of Minister of State with responsibility for arts means that the arts are in a very safe pair of hands. The questions that arise concern funding, the battle at budget times and the status of junior versus senior Ministers. I welcome that the position has been established so that somebody can deal with this area. When it is under the aegis of Arts, Sports and Tourism, it can get lost among the sectionalism of sport and tourism. While I accept Deputy Mansergh to be a safe pair of hands, I am anxious that the House should have clarification on matters such as funding and status.

Through the Leader I ask the Taoiseach to consider consolidation of those involved in the Department of the Marine. Including junior and senior Ministers, five or six are involved in different aspects of the marine. It must be very difficult for them to co-ordinate and it is difficult for Members to know who is in charge of particular aspects.

I welcome those Ministers who were appointed and I offer my commiseration to my county colleague, Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher, and also to Deputies John Brown and Michael Ahern, who have been stepped down in this instance. I wish well to all, to those who have taken up their new positions and to those who remain in their existing positions.