Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Níl aon ghá leis an mBille seo, ná le toghcháin Údarás na Gaeltachta a chur ar athló agus cearta daonlathacha na ndaoine a mhoilliú ag an am céanna. D'éist mé l'óráid an Aire. Chuala mé gach focal a dúirt sé, agus nár dúirt sé. Is gá go mbeadh toghcháin ann, ionas go gcuirfear le struchtúr an bhoird agus go ndéanfaí ceannaireacht a sholáthar do mhuintir na Gaeltachta. I listened to what the Minister had to say. As I stated, there is a need to hold elections, enhance the structures of the board of Údarás na Gaeltahcta and provide the people of the Gaeltacht with leadership.

Ba mhaith liom tréaslú le baill an bhoird. Molaim mo chuid chomhghleacaithe ó Fhine Gael - Ian Mac Aindriú, Mícheál Ó Scanaill, Séamus Cosaí Mac Gearailt agus Pádraig Ó Dochartaigh - as ucht an méid oibre atá á dhéanamh acu ar son muintir na Gaeltachta. In praising the Fine Gael members of the board, I ask why are the elections being postponed. Tá an stráitéis idir chamáin againn le tamall anuas. Fáiltítear roimhe mar go bhfuil géarghá leis. Ba chóir go mbeadh an Rialtas ag saothrú go diongbháilte chun leas ceart na stráitéise a bhaint amach.

I welcome the publication of straiteis 20 bliain don ghaeilge, in which Fine Gael has been involved. I compliment the work done by Senator Ó Murchú and Deputy McGinley through the sub-committee of the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Gabhann féiniúlacht leis na cheantair Gaeltachta agus, mar sin, gabhann féiniúlacht leis an mbord ina theannta leis. B'fhearr sa chás seo go ndíreodh an Bille ar na stuchtúir, na comhlachtaí agus na dhéantúis. The Minister is correct that the Bill is important. However, it should have examined the structures, powers and composition of the board.

Is é atá le foghlaim as seo do mhuintir na Gaeltachta ná go bhfuil an Rialtas ag cúlú siar ós na toghcháin chéánna. Tá mí-úsáid á bhaint ag an Rialtas as an leithscéal go bhfuilimid i mbun eagrúcháin don stráitéis 20 bliain agus na toghcháin á chur siar acu. Ba chóir don Rialtas an dá thrá seo a fhreastal agus na toghcháin a gcur ar siúl ag an am gcéanna. The message we send to the people of the Gaeltacht, despite what Members on the Government side will say, is that the Government is afraid to hold elections. There is no need to postpone them. The preparation of the 20 year programme for the Irish language is important; it can be done in tandem with the elections.

Ní gá an téarma a mhéadú nó sos toghchán a bheith ann. Is é atá ag teastáil ná ionadaíocht, rud atá rí-thábhachtach do mhuintir na Gaeltachta. Tá muintir na Gaeltachta ar a gcosa ag impí ar an Rialtas beartú agus gníiomh a dhéanamh. Tá deacrachtaí ag titim anuas orthu: dí-fhostaíocht; an imirce; easpa na bannda leathan; agus meath ar an tionscnamh turasaíochta. There are real problems in the Gaeltacht - unemployment, emigration, the lack of broadband services and the decline in tourism - that need to be tackled.

Tá súil agam nach bhfuilimid ag féachaint ar mhoilliú chumhachtaí an bhoird. Creidim féin agus creideann Fine Gael gur chóir go mbeadh cruthú postanna, forbairt tionsclaíochta, ról níos láirní i gcursaí oideachais agus cur chun cinn na Gaeilge faoi chúram Údarás na Gaeltachta.

We will oppose the Bill reluctantly because we do not believe there is a need to postpone the elections. Cosúil leis an Rialtas, tá sé mar pholasaí ag Fine Gael úsáid na Gaeilge a mhéadú. We fully support the use of the Irish language. However, we see a fear of holding the elections. It would be wrong to postpone the expression of the democratic wishes of the people, no matter what they are. We will oppose the Bill, even though it is an-ghairid. There is no need to postpone democratic elections. The postponement of the local elections in the 1990s showed that postponing elections did not work. People have a right to their say. There are problems in several Gaeltacht regions. Postponing the elections will not solve them.

It is important that the 20 year strategy is completed successfully. Our party supports this. However, the Bill is a wrong move. It is designed to buy time for the Government. Senator Ó Domhnall would much rather see the elections, as well as the Donegal South West by-election, held soon. For that reason, I hope he will support Fine Gael in opposing the Bill.