Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

Aontaím go daingean leis an Seanadóir Ó Tuathail faoin gcinneadh uafásach de bharr na ndeontais le haghaidh na coláistí samhraidh. I agree completely with Senator O'Toole who decried the total idiocy involved in cutting the grants for Irish summer colleges. This is the one way we are managing to keep our language alive for children in the Galltacht. Even where children hate the language in school, they love attending summer college or coláistí samhraidh. I experienced this year when my own child and others from my area stayed in the Connemara Gaeltacht. Not only will the economy of the Gaealtachtaí reduce, above all, we will further the decline of the Irish language. Will the Leader invite the Minister for Education and Science to the House to discuss this and other issues? He is badly needed in the House because he has refused to hear us.

I second Senator O'Toole's amendment to the Order of Business.