Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have had an injection of new people in our rural communities. There has been a lot of investment, notably, by my colleague, the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys. She is constantly investing in rural Ireland. The sports capital grant programme has been launched in rural Ireland. My experience is that we have very vibrant living communities across rural Ireland at the moment. However, that is not to dispute the Senator's very wise thesis that arises from a lot of experience in local and national politics. He is right that we should have clear guidelines on rural housing, and we should be proactive in allowing people to build in rural Ireland. I am not disputing that.

To move to Senator Mullen's contribution, aontaím go mór leis faoi stádas na Gaeilge sa tír seo. Tá sé iontach tábhachtach go mbeadh muid ar son labhairt na teanga, líofacht sa teanga agus athbheochan na teanga agus go mbeadh spéis agus grá againn dár n-oidhreacht agus dár dtír. Tá mé lán i bhfabhar é sin. Tréaslaím go mór leis an Seanadóir ar an ábhar seo. Is fiú díospóireacht a bheith ann faoin méid ama a thugtar don Ghaeilge. Molaim don Cheannaire an pointe sin a choimeád ina haigne sna seachtainí seo chugainn. The Senator has made an important point. It is a slightly lateral point, but I am of the view that the big thing we need to do for the Irish language - we can afford it now, thankfully, for a lot of good reasons - is to work proactively on getting young people, like the lovely students that are here, to go to the Gaeltacht. Therein lies the key. Senator Mullen's championing of it would help, perhaps with other Members of the House. We should work on getting young people to go to the Gaeltacht on a regular basis, or even to go once. That way, they will develop a love of the Gaeltacht, including the physical area, the people and the whole heritage aspect of it. I had the privilege of going to the Gaeltacht as a young teenager at 13 or whatever, and it gave me a lifelong love of Irish, Irish music and the traditions. I see the Cathaoirleach agreeing with me. Those of us who had the privilege of teaching for some time appreciate the point. We need to get children to the Gaeltacht. We have to work on that. Every time we have a debate on the Irish language, I raise that point. Senator Mullen, who comes in for those debates, knows that. We have to do more about it.

Senator Mullen also raised the issue of three-day waiting period for abortions. The Senator referenced the interesting figure of 4,000. He is right in saying that when we put the issue to the people a few years ago, it went to the people with that as part of the legislation. It is something of a negation of democracy and the will of the people to immediately overthrow that. I believe that to be the case. I fully get that. I personally believe we should not be extending the length of time before abortions can take place. These are arbitrary steps that should not be taken in light of the prescribed legislation that people voted through. In relation to the legislation that passed Second Stage yesterday, Senator Mullen will appreciate, as one of the most able legislators in the House, that it yet has to go through Committee Stage and Report Stage. It has to come before the health committee and there has to be a Government response. There is a whole process in place there. I agree we have to tread very carefully here. We have to respect the wishes of the people and we have to respect the dignity of life, the dignity of the human being and human life at all times. There can be no ambiguity around that. We have a moral responsibility on that, as well as the other responsibilities I mentioned earlier. We have a moral responsibility there, and it is appropriate that the Senator should raise it on the Floor of the House. I congratulate him on doing so.

I am accepting the amendment to the Order of Business, as proposed by our colleague, Senator Ward, and seconded by Senator Lombard.