Seanad debates

Wednesday, 11 November 2009

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed)

 

1:00 pm

Photo of Joe O'TooleJoe O'Toole (Independent)

I move amendment No. 69a:

In page 133, line 35, after "Act.", to insert the following:

"However, the text of this Act shall be published electronically in each of the official languages as soon as practicable after its enactment.".

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan. Molaim leasú a dhéanamh ar an mBille ag an bpointe seo. Section 227 states: "Section 7 of the Official Languages Act 2003 does not apply in relation to this Act." An rud atá sa phíosa sin den Acht sin, I will read into the record, "As soon as may be after the enactment of any Act of the Oireachtas, the text thereof shall be printed and published in each of the official languages simultaneously". Bhí mé sa Teach seo ar 8 Aibreán 2003, nuair a bhí an Aire, an Teachta Ó Cuív, ag tógaint an reachtaíocht sin - Bille na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2002 - tríd an Oireachtais. Ag an uair sin, nuair a bhí an tAire Ó Cuív ag tabhairt an Official Languages Act 2003 tríd an Tí, bhí leasú curtha ag an Seanadóír Joe McHugh, atá anois ina Theachta. Thug mise tacaíocht don leasú, ach chuir an Aire ina gcoinne. Tá an díospóireacht sin ar fad anseo agam, ach ní léifidh mé ach an abairt deireanach. Dúirt an tAire:

Tá an rud sa mBille iomlán slán agus ní féidir éalú uaidh. Ní féidir Acht ar bith a fhoilsiú gan é a dhéanamh go comhuaineach i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla as seo amach ...

In other words, he said the Bill was completely safe and there was no escape from it. No Act could be published from then on except in Irish and in English, provided the legislation was passed. The Minister did not understand the cleverness of the Department of Finance. It took one look at the provision and brought in legislation to the effect that in that one sense, section 7 of the Act does not apply.

Tuigim, nuair atá moladh á thabhairt agamsa don Aire - agus phléigh mé é seo leis cúpla mí ó shin - nach féidir liom aon rud a mholadh that will add to the costs etc. agus tuigim go maith dá mba rud é go raibh mé ag moladh go mbeadh seo clóbhuailte agus foilsithe i gcóip crua that there would be costs attached to that. Nuair a bhí an rud seo á phlé sa Teach seo sé bliain ó shin, bhí mise go mór den tuairim an uair sin that we should not have got into all the costs of printing annual reports in gloss and hard copy. I suggested to the Minister at that stage, that as long as these documents were published on the Internet, anybody who wanted them could print them off. However, that would not do the Minister, purist and virginal as he is. Such a thing would undermine the true Gael approach to matters. Of course, he was better off going off changing the name of my town and doing other things.

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