Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Guím beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig ar an Cheannaire, ar mo chomhghleacaithe agus ar na daoine ar fud na tíre agus ar fud an domhain. It is an important opportunity, as we approach St. Patrick's Day, for us to remember and recognise the very important bond and link we have with our diaspora throughout the world. It will come as no surprise to colleagues in the House that I would use the opportunity again to call on the Government, once it is safe to do so and once we have navigated safely through the Covid restrictions and we are in a place where we can, to bring forward the referendum Bill on extending the franchise in presidential votes to citizens across the island and to those who qualify throughout our diaspora.

I want to draw the attention of the House to a statement released by my party colleague in the North, John Finucane, MP, who has said the Council of Europe has reopened the investigation into his father's killing. He says that it is a significant move, that the British Government has been criticised internationally, including in this House, for its failure to establish an inquiry, and that this level of scrutiny is vital to help ensure the truth about his father's murder can finally emerge.

On a separate and final matter, 50 years ago this year a handful of families on Shaw's Road in Belfast established the first Irish-medium primary school in the North. At the time, the unionist Government at Stormont threatened them with internment if they did not cease and desist from their activities educating their children. The House can imagine my delight, as a product of the primary school, when it was announced by Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta that at present, for the first time, more than 7,000 children in the Six Counties attend Irish-medium education. It is a wonderful cause for celebration, not least in the context of Seachtain na Gaeilge. Real lessons can be learned and shared about best practice in developing and growing our Irish-medium sector throughout the island. I also note the efforts to establish an Irish-speaking naíscoil by Linda Irvine and the Turas project in east Belfast. It just goes to show how the language is flourishing, in particular in that sector, in the North. I ask for dedicated statements from the Minister for Education relating to the Irish language sector - how we assist it to grow, how we ensure it can be supported and helped with the problems it faces and, crucially, how we ensure best practice.