Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is fair enough. A cheannaire gníomhach, ba mhaith liom tosú le hiarraidh uirthi am a chur ar leataobh fa choinne díospóireacht leis an Aire Stáit, Teachta Jack Chambers, maidir le cúrsaí Gaeilge ag an am práinneach seo ina bhfuilimid. Sílim go bhfuil sé thar a bheith tábhachtach nuair a bhímid ag plé faoi chúrsaí agus grúpaí pobail amuigh ansin go stadaimid agus go smaoinímid ar phobal labhartha nan Gaeilge agus go háirithe ar an bpobal i measc ár gcuid Gaeltachtaí ar fud na tíre chomh maith.

I ask that, before the Christmas break, we have statements in the House on the Irish language with the Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Jack Chambers. In the current climate, we have talked a great deal about the impact of Covid and the many other issues facing communities and community groups. It is vital that we have an opportunity to hear specifically from the Minister of State with responsibility for the Irish language and Irish-speaking communities about Government supports and strategies. More broadly, to give him his due, the former Leader of the Seanad in the previous term regularly provided time for statements on the Irish language. For understandable reasons, we had a lot of issues come down the track but we need to have statements on the Irish language before we break for Christmas for all of the logical and fair reasons that everyone understands.

Agus é sin ráite agam, a cheannaire gníomhach, I respectfully note - I am also at fault for this - how little Irish has been spoken in this Chamber in recent months. I respectfully encourage Senators to consider how we can improve the situation. We have lost a number of Gaelgoiri from the previous Seanad. Those of us who advocate for and champion the Irish language have a responsibility. We must ask, through the office of the Cathaoirleach, the Leader's office and as individual Members, how the Irish language can feature more regularly in the day-to-day business of this Chamber.