Seanad debates

Thursday, 7 July 2011

Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage and Final Stages.

 

6:00 pm

Photo of Caít KeaneCaít Keane (Fine Gael)

Ní raibh a fhios agam go raibh cainteoir ó dhúchas - an Seanadóir Mac Conghail - in aice liom anseo. Ní cainteoir dúchais mise, ach tá cúpla focal agam. Tá sé ráite ag Conradh na Gaeilge go bhfuil lagú á dhéanamh ag an Oireachtas. Ba mhaith liom ceist faoi sin a ardú. Deirtear go mbeidh cead ag an Oireachtas Achtanna a fhoilsiú ar an Idirlíon in aon teanga amháin. Níl sé ráite sa Bhille cén teanga atá i gceist. It is a bit of a flaw that it is not specified in the Bill. In my innocence, I might presume it would be published in the Irish language, as the first language of the country, rather than in the English language.

We are moving in the age of the Internet. We always compare "snail mail" with Internet mail, and efficiencies with inefficiencies. I want to know the reason for any change being made that will affect the Irish language. It is important for this House to do what it can to safeguard the Irish language. I note that the Bill provides for Acts to be published "in one official language only". It does not state which of the two languages it is intended to use. I presume it is the Irish language, as the primary and first language of the State. If this legislation were challenged in court, I think this would be found to be a weakness in it.

If this change is being made in the interests of efficiency, I suggest we should specify the language in which the legislation should be published. It could then be published in the second language within three or four days if there was a reason for it. If, for example, we were introducing emergency legislation to prohibit a doctor from coming to this country to save a person's life, one might argue for pig iron that it should be prepared in Irish as well as in English. One would not want to stand in the way of saving somebody's life, but one would want to strive to ensure the Irish language has as much precedence as the English language. Having said that, one has to be reasonable.

I want to know the Minister's reasons for this measure. I have not heard them. Why has it been decided that this change is necessary at this time? If the Bill were to provide that the legislation be published on the Internet in the other language "without delay", a concrete number of hours or days should be specified. That would give people confidence that we were not weakening the language in any way. If we were trying to deal with a life and death situation, that is one of the ways I would look at it.

Senator Mac Conghail seconded the amendment before the House. My understanding is that he spoke against it, in a way, by suggesting that not everything should be published in Irish and in English immediately, with every "t" crossed. If I could get some information-----

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