Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach agus leis an Aire. Tá sé iontach í a fheiceáil anseo inniu chun Seachtain na Gaeilge a cheiliúradh. Molaim go hard í as an méid oibre atá déanta aici agus ag an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Chambers, chun ár dteanga dhúchais a chosaint. Fuair an tAire agus an tAire Stáit, Teachta Chambers, níos mó airgid sa bhuiséad 2022, breis is €7 milliún, chun tacú leis an nGaeilge agus is rud iontach é sin. Is céim ollmhór chun tosaigh é Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú), 2021. Tugann an tAcht seo tacaíochtaí breise do chainteoirí Gaeilge. Beidh níos mó cainteoirí Gaeilge ag obair sa chóras Stáit de bharr an Achta seo agus níos mó seirbhísí ar fáil trí Ghaeilge. Tá súil agam go luath nach mbeidh na fadhbanna céanna ag cainteoirí Gaeilge atá ag iarraidh seirbhísí a fháil ón Stát a thuilleadh.

Tá fadhbanna le réiteach ann fós, áfach. Tá bearna ollmhór ann maidir leis An nGarda Síchána agus gardaí le hardchaighdeán Gaeilge a chur ar fáil do chainteoirí Gaeilge na Gaeltachta. Impím ar an Aire brú a chur ar an Aire Dlí agus Cirt maidir leis an gceist seo.

Tá taifead maith ag ár bpáirtí, Fianna Fáil, maidir le feabhas a chur ar chearta ár dteanga dhúchais ar chearta na Gaeltachta. Is é Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú), 2021 an tionscnamh is déanaí chuige sin. Tá sé mar aidhm ag an Rialtas tacaíocht a thabhairt don Ghaeilge chun go mbeidh sí á úsáid mar phríomhtheanga phobal na Gaeltachta, an Ghaeilge a neartú agus an teanga a fhorbairt san aois dhigiteach.

Before I conclude, I welcome the Minister here. I welcome all the work that she has done, along with the Aire Stáit, an Teachta Chambers. It is great to see such a strong voice in the Cabinet. That has been borne out by the work the Minister and the Minister of State have done in getting a substantial increase in our budget for 2022. That is fantastic.I am not a fluent speaker. I love Gaeilge. I see how good it was for our children who were fortunate enough to go to the Gaeltacht. It made such a difference to them. They were a bit iffy about going at first, but once they were in it for half a day, they looked to go back every single time. Unfortunately, Covid has hit them a bit.

Tá sé ceart go mbeadh a leithéid de dhíospóireacht againn sa Seanad. Is deas an teanga í. Uair amháin, bhí an teanga an-láidir agam ach níl sé chomh láidir sin anois. However, I hope to get better at it and use more of it. It is right that our Government and its Ministers give such a strong voice to our traditional language. We do not have anything without our culture.