Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

Tacaím go hiomlán leis an méid atá ráite ag an Seanadóir Ó Domhnaill. An t-am deireannach a raibh Bille Gaeltachta againn ná 1956 agus táimid píosa fada ag fanacht leis an Bille seo, Bille na Gaeltachta. Bille tábhachtach é seo a bhaineann le todhcaí na Gaeltachta atá ag teacht os comhair an Tí, ach ní bhfuair muid cóip dó ach dhá lá ó shin, mar gheall ar moill le aistriúchán. Tá an Bille le plé tráthnóna inniu, tá na leasuithe Coiste le bheith istigh maidin amárach agus tá sé ráite linn go bpléifear Céim an Choiste agus Céim na Tuarascála an tseachtain seo chugainn agus go mbeidh gach rud socraithe. Níl sin inghlactha. Tá gá le níos mó ama a thabhairt le plé iomlán a dhéanamh ar an mBille seo.

Ba mhaith liom tacú leis an leasú atá molta ag mo chomhleacaí, an Seanadóir Kathryn Reilly ar an Riar Gnó. I would like to second the proposal to amend the Order of Business. We have had an absolute debacle overnight in Clonmoylan in County Galway where there has been a stand-off between gardaí and turf cutters. I call on the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Deenihan, to attend this House if he can take time out from his charity walks, book launches and writing his memoirs. He should debate the really serious issue of turf cutting that is currently unfolding. The Minister made promises during a Private Members' Bill debate that he would act in a much more equitable fashion. Apparently, however, he could not keep those promises in Europe and they have since been renegued upon.