Martin Conway (Fine Gael)

I agree wholeheartedly with most of what Senator Byrne has said. He made an interesting point about the constitutionality of this provision. I would welcome the Minister's commentary in that regard. I would regret any movement away from the publication of legislation in both languages. The spirit of the requirement that legislation be translated into Irish is central to our existence as a people. I have concerns about the manner in which it has been imposed through the Official Languages Act 2003, however.

I agree with what other speakers said about the commitment in the programme for Government to review the 2003 Act. I hope we can have a national debate on it. As Senator Mac Conghail and others have said, it is a complete waste of public money to produce a county development plan as Gaeilge at a cost of €40,000 or €50,000, only for it to be bought by just one person. It is not engaging with the spirit of the Irish language to require that to be done.

When I listen to people like Senators Keane, Ó Clochartaigh and Mullen speaking, it strikes me that Connemara Irish is absolutely beautiful. We have received e-mail correspondence advising us that Irish classes are being organised. I look forward to participating in them. The whole notion of the Irish language is such a strong part of our existence that we should never, if at all possible, move away from the principle of producing documents in our native language in the first instance and, obviously, as Béarla as well. The constitutional point that was made was very interesting. I await the Minister's commentary in that regard.