asked the Minister for the Gaeltacht what development plans his Department have for the Gaeltacht area in County Waterford.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Waterford Gaeltacht: Development Plans.
26.
Iséard atá ar intinn ag mo Roinn-se maidir le forbairt na Gaeltachta i gContae Phortláirge ná go dtabharfaí feidhm, chomh fada agus is féidir, do na Scéimeanna a luaitear i Leabhar na Meastachán don bhliain airgeadais reatha i ndáil le Vóta na Roinne.
Os rud é nach dtuigeann an Teachta Ó Cadhain an Ghaeilge, an dtiubhraidh an tAire aistriú Bhéarla ar an bhfreagra?
Mhíníos cheana an rial a bhaineas leis an rud seo: go dtugtar aistriú arna iarraidh sin ag an Teachta a chuir síos an cheist má abraíonn sé nach dtuigeann sé an freagra i nGaeilge.
Tá an tAire ag diúltú aistrithe do Teachta O Cadhain mar sin.
Ní mise a rinne an rial. Rinne an Teachta Ua Maolchatha é agus dhaingnigh an Teachta Mac Loingsigh é le linn dóibh a bheith ina nAirí na Gaeltachta. Tá an treoir sin ar bhreachacáin na Roinne. Chloidh an dá Airí Ghaeltachta de Pháirtí Fianna Fáil leis a bhí ann romham-sa. Comhlionaimse, freisin, é.
Can we get this thing settled one way or the other? I understood it was ordained here that any Minister or any Deputy had the right to speak in English or in Irish at his option, without any explanation to anyone. I also understood that if a Deputy asked a Minister to translate an answer furnished in Irish, the Minister would be courteous enough to do so. Am I to understand that hereafter that practice is to be departed from? If so, I want to submit to the Leader of the House that it is a very undesirable departure. If we cannot conduct ourselves with reasonable civility to one another, Parliament cannot be carried on.
We cannot have a discussion on that now.
I told the Minister that Deputy Kyne had not a lot of Irish and I asked him would he please give the answer in English and he refused to do so.
He did not.
Perhaps I should say in English what I have said in Irish. I said that this ruling was not made by me or by the Fianna Fáil Minister for the Gaeltacht who preceded me. It was made by Deputy Mulcahy, in the first instance, and confirmed by Deputy Lindsay, in the second instance, in written directions which are on the records of Roinn na Gaeltachta. I have indicated that it is on that direction of Deputy Mulcahy and Deputy Lindsay that succeeding Ministers for the Gaeltacht are proceeding. If a Deputy says he does not understand the answer which he has been given in the Irish language, a request can be made for the English translation by the Deputy who put down the question.
The Government should also have kept to the Fine Gael line with regard to the cost of living.
Are we to understand that the ordinary civility of Parliamentary practice is to be departed from? I urge on the Leader of the House that that would be an undesirable departure.
I am not aware that there has been any change in practice for several years.
If the Taoiseach is not so aware, he should open his ears.