Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom ar dtús báire fáilte a chur roimh an reachtaíocht teanga a cuireadh chun tosaigh ó Thuaidh inné, agus ardmholadh a thabhairt dóibh siúd go léir a bhí i mbun stocaireachta agus feachtasaíochta ar son Achta na Gaeilge a bhaint amach. Is tús maith é seo agus céim thábhachtach agus shuntasach chun tosaigh maidir le comhionannas agus cearta na nGael.

It is reported in today's media that a number of Members of the Oireachtas, including the Leader, attended an event paid for and attended by a gambling body. We know the devastating impact and consequences of gambling addition on individuals and families throughout this State. We have discussed and debated it. We have heard very passionate contributions from Members. In terms of protecting the integrity of this House as we prepare to debate very important and necessary gambling regulation legislation, a policy of no comment is no longer sustainable and acceptable. It is important that the space is created for colleagues who are referenced in the media to address the very legitimate and understandable concerns that are out there.

Finally, on the points raised today and the issue of passports, I note and welcome the increase in coverage of the passport issue in the media in recent times. However, I wish to make a fundamental point and observation. We can change the name of certain services. We can ask for a junior Minister. I would like to hear the arguments for that. I am not saying I am opposed to it. Unless we get to the point where we are investing in proper services where people can interface and engage directly with the passport service, we are not going to deal with the issues that I am sure all of us right across the House are dealing with all the time. The vast bulk of people I deal with will accept that there will be a delay in obtaining their passport. Their biggest frustration and problem is the total absence of any information. I am sure that like me, the Leader and her constituency colleagues have spent hours on the phone trying to get through to someone on behalf of families who are waiting anxiously to find out details about their passport applications. We need to light a candle as opposed to curse the dark, as it were. The Government needs to understand that this policy of hoping the issue will settle and balance out at some stage is not cutting it. We can see that it is not working. We need proper investment. We need facilities, offices and services that people can engage with, to enable them to access a human being, speak to someone and get information that they can then absorb and understand.