Written answers
Thursday, 14 April 2005
Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
Irish Language
5:00 pm
Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 26: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if, in relation to his Dáil reply of 22 February 2005, he will elaborate on his comment that people coming to this country tend to be open to the idea of learning not only English but Irish as well; the evidence he has to back up these claims; if he has statistics to confirm such conclusions; the basis on which he makes this comment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11395/05]
Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if, in relation to his Dáil reply of 22 February 2005, he will elaborate on a comment of his (details supplied); the evidence he has to back up these claims; if he has statistics to confirm these conclusions; the basis on which he made this comment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11396/05]
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 33 together.
I cannot accept the proposition inherent in the Deputies' questions that a public representative may not be permitted to make statements of informed opinion â whether by way of reply to questions in this House or otherwise â without having carried out a qualitative survey or statistical analysis beforehand. The statements I made in my supplementary replies to Question No. 14 on 22 February 2005 are on the record of the House. As statements of opinion, they are informed by my experience, both personally as a public representative and as Minister with responsibilities for Irish language issues. They are statements which appear reasonable and accurate to many people involved in Irish language issues and require no further explanation.
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