Vol. 322 No. 4
Tairgim:
Go ndeonófar suim nach nó ná £10,835,000 chun íoctha an mhuirir a thiocfaid chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31 lú lá de Nollaig, 1980, le haghaidh tuarastail agus costais Roinn na Gaeltachta, maille le deontais le haghaidh tithe agus ildeontais-i-gcabhair.
Deputies Horgan and Begley rose.
An Teachta Horgan ar dtús. Is cuma liom ach ar an nóta——
Lean ar aghaidh.
On the note given to me it is the Labour Party, then Fine Gael and the Minister to conclude.
Ar an gcéad dul síos, ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis an Aire. Is é seo an chéad uair ó tháinig Countess Markievitz isteach sa chéad Dáil go bhfuil bean ceaptha mar Aire Rialtais. Aire na Gaeltachta an job atá aici faoi láthair. Job tábhachtach is ea é agus ba mhaith liom cúpla ceisteanna a chur don Aire maidir leis an nGaeltacht agus na Gaeltachtaí ar fad.
Ar léigh an tAire, mar shompla, na haltanna ó Deasún Fennell a fhoilsiú san Irish Times le déanaí? Duine suimiúil is ea an t-údar seo. Ní aontaím leis go minic ar chúrsaí poiliticiúla ach caithfídh mé a admháil gur léigh me na haltanna sin go cúramach agus to bhfuil ceisteanna cruaidh ag eirí as. Tá na Gaeltachtaí ag neartú ó thaobh cursaí eacnamaíochta. Níl dabht ar chor ar bith faoi sin. Ach cad é an praghas? An bhfuil sé ró-ard maidir leis an teanga, maidir le cultúr, maidir le saol na ndaoine a mhaireann ann? Tá gach Aire na Gaeltachta idir dhá comhairle nuair a smaoiníonn sé, nó sí, ar an deachracht sin.
Ba mhaith liom ceist a chur ar an Aire? An bhfuil sí ábalta a rá go bhfuil an teanga ag neartú sna Gaeltachtaí? Deireann Deasún Fennell go bhfuil sí ag laghdú, go bhfuil sí ag fáil bháis. Caithfidh an tAire a rá dúinn go fírinneach an bhfuil an ceart aige? Conaíonn sé ins an Gaeltacht. Conaíonn an tAire i nGaillimh, cóngaireacht don Ghaeltacht agus b'fhéidir go bhfuil eolas aici. An bhfuil an Ghaeltacht beo fós nó an bhfuil sí ag laghdú? Má tá sí ag laghdú, an bhfuil aon phlean aici chun deireadh a chur leis an deacracht seo?
Tá Údaras na Gaeltachta bunaithe, mar tá fhios againn, ach baineann obair an údaráis seo go mór mhór agus go speisíalta le cúrsaí eacnamaíochta. Tá fhios againn anois go bhfuil contúirt ag baint leis seo maidir leis an dteanga.
It is important to read into the record of the House some of the observations of Desmond Fennell in his two articles in The Irish Times about the Gaeltacht, because unlike many people—I do not exclude politicians—who advocated the preservation, maintenance and development of the Gaeltacht, he has chosen to put his money where his mouth is and to go and live in the Gaeltacht and campaign for its development, preservation and extension. His two articles on 3 and 4 June paint a very sombre picture for anyone interested in this area. He describes the Gaeltacht in this article in the following way:
...a crumbling archipelago of four sizeable language islands and eight tiny ones. Twenty years ago it was larger, and 50 years ago larger still. Some islands which existed at those earlier dates have since disappeared; others have survived but have become much smaller. In other words during the period of the State's attempts to save it, as in the previous period, the Gaeltacht has continued to be a shrinking entity.
He goes on to say that the present shrinkage of the Gaeltacht may not proceed at its present pace but that the Gaeltacht may effectively disappear within a very brief period of time. The reason he adduces for this is a statement that the majority of parents throughout the Gaeltacht have decided to rear their children in English. He comments:
This turn of events has been discussed on Radio na Gaeltachta and on Irish-language programmes on RTE, and it has been commented on, and its significance perceived, by Irish language journalists. It is no secret; but since most commentary on the Gaeltacht is carried on in Irish, people generally are probably not aware that Irish speaking Ireland is in its final crisis and will soon be gone.
In his second article Mr. Fennell went into some depth and analysis as to the reason why this has happened. I do not propose to quote his reasons in any detail but the last paragraph of his article is apposite. He stated:
Attempts to stop the erosion of shrinking language minorities are a very new thing, and nowhere yet, to my knowledge, has such an attempt succeeded. Our attempts was the first instance in which a State and its resources were committed to the task. In the circumstances, it was probably inevitable that we would not know how to use these assets, and the language movement, in a successful combination.
The Minister should tell us whether she agrees with that sombre assessment of the future of the Gaeltacht. The importance of it will not be lost on her or anybody else who believes that the Irish language should not be allowed to die. If the Gaeltacht disappears the language will not be kept alive by a number of people, no matter how enthusiastic, living on even smaller Irish speaking islands clustered around maybe Irish speaking primary or post-primary schools in an anglicised island in which the language of commerce, generally, and increasingly of culture, is the English language.
As Mr. Fennell pointed out there has been a lack of communication between people in the English speaking areas who are in favour of the revival and maintenance of the Irish language and the people in the Gaeltacht. All the best efforts of Governments—I do not think this charge can be levelled at any particular Government—have not succeeded in building the kind of bridge that would enable the Irish language to benefit from a two-way traffic and not just from a simple process of erosion. The other problem I mentioned earlier which also has to be taken into account is the savage dilemma that must face any Minister for the Gaeltacht who is charged with the task of ensuring economic development of the area for which he or she is responsible without infringing the cultural and linguistic characteristics which have led to the call for its economic development in the first place. I do not know what the answer to this problem is and if the Minister and I were to change places I doubt, even with all the files at my command, I would be any wiser than she is. However, above all else this is a time for honesty and an assessment of where the policies of the past have led us, whether there is a need to change those policies and communally to decide on new policies that might be pursued. I wish the Minister well in that task and she will have the support of all sides of the House as she attempts it.
The only other thing I should like to mention in the brief time available to me is to appeal to the Minister not to make the future of the Irish language or of the Gaeltacht areas any more hazardous by continuing in the extraordinary blinkered manner which she has chosen to deal in this House with questions addressed to her other than in the Irish language. It is not long ago since a Deputy on this side of the House put down a question to the Minister in the English language and received an answer to it in the Irish language. To the best of my knowledge the Deputy did not object to receiving that answer in the Irish language but when he asked a supplementary in English he was answered in an extraordinary arrogant way by the Minister in Irish. The Minister refused to talk to that Deputy in the language in which he had addressed her and quoted precedent to justify her action.
We can all quote precedent when it suits us. It has been said often enough that consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds but the irony is that to the best of my knowledge there is not the precedent the Minister said was there. I can remember being in the lobbies of this House during the period of the previous administration and listening to her predecessor but one, Deputy Tom O'Donnell, answering questions as Minister for the Gaeltacht. I can recall Deputy O'Donnell replying to supplementaries put to him in English in the Irish language and following that up with a translation in English of his answer for the benefit of Opposition Deputies. A rigid adherence to the kind of policy that the Minister seems to have adopted will not help the Irish language; it may indeed well harm it. There are a lot of people with a lot of goodwill for the Irish language who would have been depressed and put off—to put it no more strongly—by an attitude which implies that if one does not have an adequate command of the Irish language one is not entitled to discuss the affairs of the Gaeltacht in this House with the Minister and expect a response from the Minister in the same language in which one has addressed her or him.
I believe that was shortsighted on the part of the Minister but it is not by any means too late for her to change her policy on this matter. I believe that if she does she will get more co-operation in the essential task which she is about, not just from Deputies on all sides but from people of all traditions on this island. To adopt the rigid approach smacks of whatever the linguistic equivalent of sectarianism is. We have been bedevilled enough by that here in the past not to wish it for our present or, indeed, our future children. Some of my contribution was critical, as it had to be, and some of it supported the work the Minister is doing. I support the Estimate.
Aontaím le Deputy Horgan. Níl aon dabht go mbeadh sé ar fheabhas ar fad dá mbeadh an tAire in ann an t-airgead atá ag teastáil uaithi a fháil chun na nithe eagsúla a dhéanamh sna Ghaeltachtaí. Mar sin fhéin, cé go raibh morán bladair i dtaobh Údarás na Gaeltachta le dhá bhliain anuas, tá sé soiléir tar éis cúpla mí nach bhfuil in Udarás na Gaeltachta ach cleas a d'imir an Rialtas ar mhuintir na nGaeltachtaí. Chun an fhirinne a rá, muna bhfuilimid in ann slí bheatha muintir na nGaeltachtaí a ardú agus a leasú agus rud fónta a dheanamh dóibh, ní bheidh Gaeltacht ar bith ann i bhfad eile. Aontaím le Deputy Horgan ar sin.
Seachtain ó shin chuireas ceist ar an Aire i dtaobh na monarchain sna Gaeltachtaí agus fuaras freagra ón Aire á rá go raibh 22 cinn acu imithe chun bóthair. Ach níor thug sí aon fhreagra dom i dtaobh na monarchain go léir sna Gaeltachtaí, ó Dhún na nGall go Contae Ciarraí, i nGaillimh, Portláirge agus i gCorcaí—cé mheid dóibh súid a raibh i gcruachás i dtaobh airgid? 'Sé an leithscéal a bhí ag an Aire nach mbeadh sé ceart é sin a dhéanamh. Táim ag rá leis an Aire go macánta go bhfuil fhios ag muintir na Gaeltachta, ag na hoibritheoirí atá sna monarchain sin, go mbeidh i bhfad níos mó acu ag dul chun bóthair roimh dheireadh na bliana.
Le déanaí chuir an tAire Cathaoirleach lán aimseartha isteach san Údarás. Chuir mé ceist ar an Aire an tseachtain seo caite cén fáth gur cuireadh an bainisteoir ó Chontae Mhuigheo, fear macánta, isteach san Údarás agus cén fhaid a bheadh sé sa phost. Bhí an tAire chomh glic le héinne a tháinig as Contae na Gaillimhe sa freagra a thug sí ar an cheist sin. Tá mé ag fiafraigh den Aire anois ann bhfuil sí ábalta a rá linn cad tá ar siúl in Udarás na Gaeltachta. An bhfuil trioblóid ar siúl idir an bainisteoir ginearálta agus an cathaoirleach. Ciocu acu an "Boss"? Tá mé, thar ceann an taobh seo den Teach, ag tabhairt lán-tacaíocht don Aire má tá fonn uirthi a rá linn go poiblí nó go príobhaideach cad tá ar siúl san Údarás faoi láthair.
Caithimid go léir cloí le chéile má tá na Gaeltachtaí chun neartú agus má táimid chun an teanga a choimeád láidir. Tá sé in am don Aire an £10 deontas a ardú. Tá a fhios aici go bhfuil cásanna speisialta, go mór mhór na daoine a thagann abhaile ón Bhreatain nó na Stáit Aontaithe agus atá ag maireachtáil san Ghaeltacht, daoine go raibh an Ghaeilge go líofa agus go láidir acu féin agus gur phós an bhean nó an fear, cibé cás é, duine nach raibh an Ghaeilge go líofa acu. Ba cheart don Aire gan bheith róghéar nuair atá na daoine sin ag lorg deontais chun teach nua a thógáil. Tá a fhios ag an Aire, muinteoir scoile, go mbeadh an Ghaeilge go líofa ag na páistí agus tá ar na daoine sin maireactáil i mbóthán uaireanta go dtí go mbeidh an teach nua tógtha. Ba cheart do na cigirí, má tá obair ag an bhfear agus má siad cinnte go bhfuil an sprid ag an gclann an Ghaeilge a neartú agus í a úsáid san Ghaeltacht, an deontas a thabhairt dóibh.
I would like to congratulate the Minister on her appointment. Even though there was a lot of ballyhoo about the new Gaeltacht Authority, it is now obvious to everyone after a few months, that the authority was just a trick by the Government on the people of the Gaeltacht. The plain truth of the matter is that the members of the authority have not even the power to buy a box of matches and if the matches were bought, the executive side of the authority would decide the colour of the said matches.
If all of us are not able to revive the spirit of the people of the Gaeltacht and to be seen doing positive things for them, whether it is in industry, education or development of the natural resources, the Gaeltacht will be no more in a very short time. I am very glad that Desmond Fennell did the study on aspects of the Gaeltacht to which Deputy Horgan referred.
A week ago I questioned the Minister about how many industries in the Gaeltacht were in financial difficulties. I was informed that 22 had closed altogether since August 1977, and the Minister would not tell me how many were in serious financial trouble. The Minister knows that the people of the Gaeltacht and particularly the workers in the factories that are in trouble know that they will be redundant before the year is out.
Some time ago, the Minister appointed a full time chairman to the Gaeltacht Authority in a temporary capacity, we are told. When I questioned her on the appointment, the Minister was vague in the extreme and when I asked her to spell out how long this appointment was for she refused to answer. She may have a reason. Is it because the factories are closing and is it because the elected members of the authority are so disillusioned that they are thinking of resigning from the authority? The members are not told what is happening; they must read it in the newspapers first.
Did the general manager of the authority know that a full-time chairman was being appointed? Are there now internal difficulties within the executive side of the authority? People are asking questions, particularly the staff. Will the real boss stand up?
On behalf of this side of the House I am prepared to give the Minister full co-operation in what she is doing if she is prepared to take us into her confidence, whether publicly or privately, and tell us what is happening within that Gaeltacht Authority. Every party in this House has the same objective, to keep our Gaeltacht and keep the Irish language virile. I hope the Minister will accept the spirit of this offer.
I think it is about time the £10 deontas was increased and substantial increases given for new houses with special concessions for Gaeltacht men or Gaeltacht women who come back to the Gaeltacht, after spending years of their lives in Britain or the US. The Minister knows as well as I do that the children of those people, or perhaps the wife or husband, will not have fluency in the Irish language for a few years and the Minister should not deny those people a chance of building a new house for themselves immediately they arrive in the Gaeltacht. It is fine to say they will get a grant in three year's time. This should be done straight away as it would encourage them to stay.
I often wonder what power the Minister for the Gaeltacht has at Cabinet level, particularly in view of the fact that so many projects which affect the lifestyle of the people of the Gaeltacht are held up by different Ministers. This is particularly true as far as the Department of Education is concerned in regard to new schools for which tenders have been submitted but which have not been sanctioned for erection. The same is true in the Department of Fisheries and in the Department of the Environment for other projects. Perhaps the Minister will become more vocal at Cabinet level particularly on Gaeltacht projects. She should be concerned especially with the Department of Fisheries who are denying the right to fish to our Gaeltacht fishermen and as a result of that they are dragged before the courts and depicted as common criminals for catching a few salmon whether in Galway, Dingle or down around Waterford.
Surely the Minister knows that the natural resources offer the best prospects for the west of Ireland and must be developed. The land and the sea are the best natural resources we have.
I could go on at length but as this is a short debate, I hope the Minister will accept the message I have given in the spirit in which it is offered and that we will all work together for the common good.
Ba mhaith liom ar dtús mo bhuíochas a ghlacadh leis an dá Theachta a labhair ar an Meastachán do Roinn na Gaeltachta. Tá mé faoi chomaoin acu mar tuigim gur ag cabhrú liom féin mar Aire na Gaeltachta agus obair na Roinne atá siad nuair a deireann siad na rudaí b'fhéidir ag cáineadh ní na Roinne ach polasaithe áirithe de chuid Rialtas éagsúla. Tá roinnt ceisteanna ardaithe ag an dá Theachta agus b'fhéidir go ndeileálóidh mé leo sin ar dtús sula ndéarfaidh mé ráiteas ginearálta faoi chúrsaí mar atá siad sna Gaeltachtaí ar fad. Luaigh an Teachta Horgan na haltanna a bhí i gceann do na páipéir laethúla le gairid. Caithfídh mé a rá gur léigh mé na haltanna sin, go bhfuil aithne agam ar an údar agus go naontaím go bhfuil a lán ama caite aige ag cuairt agus ina chónaí sna Gaeltachtaí, go mór mhór i nGaeltacht Chonamara, ag cur aithne ar agus ag caint leis na daoine a dhéanann chuid mhaith oibre thar ceann muintir na Gaeltachta. Mar sin, bhí suim faoi leith agam ins an méid a bhí le rá aige faoi na Gaeltachtaí. Bhí a lán den fhirinne aige, aontaím, agus tá sé chomh maith an fhírinne a inseacht.
Thug mé cuairt ar na Gaeltachtaí ar fad, beagnach, taobh amuigh de na hoileáin, le roinnt seachtainí anuas agus feictear dom i gceantracha Ghaeltachta áirithe nach bhfuil an Ghaeilge chomh láidir agus a bhí sí. Fiú amháin sul ar thug mé cuairt ar na Gaeltachtaí, ón méid sin litreacha a fhaigheann mé ó na Teachtaí Dála a bhfuil Gaeltachtaí ina nDáil cheantair, feicim, mar a dúirt an Teachta Begley inniu, go bhfuil daltaí ag freastal ar scoileanna sna Gaeltachtaí nach féidir leo an t-oideachas ceart i nGaeilge a fháil go minic toisc nach í an Ghaeilge a bhíonn mar ghnáth theanga teallaigh sa mbaile acu. Ní deirimse le muintir an Gaeltachta gur ceart dóibh Gaeilge amháin a labhairt sa mbaile—sílim go bhfuil sé thar a bheith tábhachtach go mbéadh an dá theanga ag chuile pháiste sa tír seo—ach bheadh an-díomá orm dá gcrothófaí dom go raibh furmhór de thuismitheoirí na Gaeltachta ag labhairt Béarla lena gclann.
Sílim go bhfuil fáthanna éagsúla leis an gcaoi a bhfuil rudaí ann faoi láthair, agus b'fhéidir an fáth ba mhó atá ann, agus glacaim leis, ná nach raibh ag Gaeltarra Éireann nuair a chuaigh siad i mbun forbairt eacnamaíochta na Gaeltachta an béim mar ba chóir acu ar úsáid na Gaeilge ins an monarchain i measc na noibrithe, fiú amháin i measc foireann Ghaeltarra féin. Ba chóir dóibh go mbeadh, agus mar a deirim, sin b'fhéidir an fáth ba mhó gur cuireadh alt speisialta isteach ins an Acht um Udarás na Gaeltachta chun go dtabharfadh Údarás na Gaeltachta tús áite, nuair a chuirfí monarcha ar bun, nó nuair a bheidís i mbun fostaíocht a chur ar bun do muintir na Gaeltachta, do úsáid na Gaeilge agus caomhnú na Gaeilge, go mbeadh sé mar phríomh aidhm chumarsáide sa Ghaeltacht go ndéanfaí caomhnú agus leathnú na Gaeilge; go mbeadh an tÚdarás freisin ag spreagadh na Gaeilge, agus go gcinntódh an tÚdarás gurb í an Ghaeilge a úsáidfí chomh fada agus ab fhéidir i mbun gnótha sa Ghaeltacht.
Bheadh níos mó dóchas agam ná na Teachtaí a labhair i dtaobh cúrsaí eacnamaíochta na Gaeltachtaí agus an chaoí ar féidir forbairt eacnamaíochta a cheangal go dlúth le úsáid na teanga sa Ghaeltacht. Aon uair a raibh deis agamsa labhairt le foireann mhonarchain nó le foireann an Údaráis nó le Bord an Údaráis, chuir mé béim an-mhór ar an úsaid ba cheart a bhaint den Ghaeilge agus an béim gur cheart a leagan ar an teanga i gcúrsaí eacnamaíochta agus forbairt sna Gaeltachtaí.
Deir an Teachta Begley go gceapann sé go pearsanta go bhfuil deacrachtaí san Údarás faoi láthair. Mar atá a fhios aige, agus mar léirigh mé dó ag freagairt cheist uaidh an tseachtain seo caite, cheap mé le déanaí Cathaoirleach an Údaráis go lán-aimseartha go dtí an chéad lá de Dheireadh Fómhair seo chugainn. Dúirt mé ar an ócáid sin go bhfuil súil agam nach mbeidh gá go leanfadh sé taréis an tréimhse sin mar chathaoirleach. Is í an fáth is mó go ndeachaigh sé isteach ná go raibh post aige mar Bhainisteoir Chontae Mhuigheo agus ag an am chéanna mar chathaoirleach Údarás na Gaeltachta. Thuig sé go raibh deacracht mhór aige an obair atá ar siúl ag an Údarás a thuiscint, an obair ó thaobh eacnamaíochta na Gaeltachta a chur chun cinn, agus cheap sé, chun go mbeadh eolas níos fearr aige ar an obair atá ar siúl ag an Údarás agus ar na deacrachtaí atá acu, gur cheart dó dul isteach go lán aimseartha.
Chuir an Teachta Begley an cheist díreach, an raibh eolas ag an bpríomh fheidhmeannach mar gheall ar an cheapachán sula ndearnadh é? Bhí eolas aige faoí, pléadh leis é agus ghlac sé go fonnmhar leis. Teastaíonn uaidh freisin go mbeadh eolas cruinn ag baill a bhfuil freagrach dó faoí chúrsaí forbairt eacnamaíochta na Gaeltachta, agus mar sin, níl aon deacrachtaí ann agus ba mhaith liom é sin a léiriú go soiléir.
Maidir leis an deontas £10 a árdú, níl sé i gceist, mar d'fhreagair mé don Teachta céanna cúpla seachtain ó shin, é a ardú faoi láthair, ach tá mé ag breathnú air—os rud é go ndearnadh a lán cainte faoi agus mé ag taisteal na Gaeltachta—idir seo agus tús na bliana seo chugainn. I gcás gur diúltigh oifígí mo Roinne an deontas deich bpunt a thabhairt do aon pháiste, beidh seans agam aithbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar sin agus b'fhéidir scrúdú eile a chur ar an bpáiste. I gcásanna deacrachtaí áirithe, bíonn seans ag oifígí mo Roinne glaoch ar thuismitheoirí na bpáistí agus an rud a phlé leo, ach beagnach i gcónaí is fíorannamh nach dtugtar seans iomlán do pháiste atá lag in úsáid na Gaeilge nó i labhairt na Gaeilge, agus nuair a thagtar ar ais chun an scrúdú a dhéanamh an dara bhlian bíonn sé le feiceáil go soiléir sa chuid is mó de na cásanna go bíonn feabhas íontach, mar a dúirt an Teachta Begley, ar an Ghaeilge.
Tá mé cinnte go mbeidh an-áthas ar an Teachta go bhfuil sé i gceist agamsa Scéim na nDeontas Títhíochta a athrú ar mhaithe leo siúd a thagann abhaile, b'fhéidir ó Shasana nó as Mheiriceá nó a thagann as ceanntracha eile ar fud na tíre le tithe a thógáil sa mbaile agus go mbíonn deacrachtaí acu ar dtús ó thaobh an choinníoll sin go mbíonn orthu gnáthchónaí a bheith acu sa Ghaeltacht nó go mbíonn deacrachtaí acu i dtaobh úsáid na Gaeilge mar ghnáth theanga theaghlaigh. Faoi láthair, mar atá a fhios ag chuile dhuine, ní féidir an deontas a cheadú go dtí go mbíonn an cigire agus mise sásta go bhfuil an t-iarratasóir cáilithe i dtaobh na Gaeilge agus gnáth chónaí sa Ghaeltacht aige. Sin iad an dá choinníoll go mbíonn an deacracht is mó fúthu.
Ba mhaith liomsa dul i gcabhair ar dhaoine den tsórt sin, agus séard tá beartaithe agam san scéim nua gan teach a dhiúltú dóibh ach gur cheart dóibh brostú ar aghaidh le títhe a thógáil le cúnamh ón Roinn Comhshaoil—go gcuirfeadh siad isteach iarratais ar an £1,000 deontas ón Roinn sin. Iarratasóirí den chineál seo a mbeidh ar a gcumas leiriú taobh istigh de chúpla bliain go bhfuil ghnáth-chonaí acu sa Ghaeltacht agus go bhfuil an Ghaeilge curtha i réim acu mar ghnáth theanga theaghlaigh, beidh deontas speisialta suas go dtí £800 le fáil acu thar bharr an deontais £1,000 ón Roinn Comhshaoil. Sílim go mbeidh roinnt mhór de mhuintir na Gaeltachta sásta go bhfuil mé ag teacht i gcabhair ar dhaoine den tsórt seo a thagann abhaile, de bharr feabhas eacnamaíochta sa bhaile agus go bhfuil seans acu post a fháil sa mbaile, agus a thógann a gclann le Gaeilge. Tá mé cinnte go rachaidh an scéim seo cuid mhaith den bhealach le réiteach a fháil ar na fadhbanna atá ann faoi láthair a bhaineann leis na deontais títhe atá le fáil ó mo Roinn.
Labhair an Teachta Horgan faoin chaoí a fhreagraímse Ceisteanna Dála anseo. Bheadh an-aithbhéal ormsa dá gceapfadh aon duine gur chreid mise, go pearsanta nó mar Aire, nach raibh cead ag aon duine sa Teach seo nó taobh amuigh de nach raibh Gaeilge ar a dtoil acu ceisteanna faoi chúrsaí eacnamaíochta nó cultúrtha a phlé i leith na Gaeltachta nó i leith na Gaeilge. Ní sin an chreidiúint pearsanta atá agamsa. Creidim go bhfuil sé ceart agus cóir ag chuile dhuine sa tír seo a bheith ag plé agus ag caint faoi chúrsaí na teanga agus na Gaeltachta agus go bhfuil sé thar a bheith tábhachtach gur féidir iad seo a phlé istigh i nDáil Éireann. Mar a deirim, má táimid i ndáiríre faoi cheist na teanga, má táimid i ndáiríre mar Bhaill den Teach seo, toghtha ag muintir na hÉireann, faoi dul chun cinn na teanga mar ghnáth-theanga urlabhra ar fud na hÉireann, tá sé de dhualgas orainn an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn taobh istigh den Dáil agus an Seanad ar dtús. Ní dóigh liomsa gur ceart do aon duine, mé féin ina measc, sa Teach seo a bheith ag cur faoi deara do phobal forleathan na tíre seo an Ghaeilge a úsáid lena bpáistí, ina measc féin ina gcuid dualgas gnó agus tí, mura bhfuilimíd féin sásta iarracht a dhéanamh sa Rialtas agus i measc na Teachtaí Dála agus na Seanadóirí an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn inár measc féin. Dar liomsa go fada—agus tá mé cinnte go n-aontódh an Teachta Horgan liom—an rud is fearr ná dá bhféadfadh na trí pairtíthe polaitíochta sa Teach seo teacht le chéile agus socrú deimhníoch a dhéanamh iad féin faoi céard is mian leo a dhéanamh nó céard atá siad sásta a dhéanamh le dul chun cinn na Gaeilge i measc a gcuid Teachtaí Dála féin a dhéanamh.
Faraoir, agus is oth liom é a rá, ní rabhamar in ann teacht ar réiteach den tsórt sin leis na páirtíthe polaitíochta ar fad. Táimidne i bpairtí Fhianna Fáil ag dul ar aghaidh leis linn féin agus beidh mise sásta é a phlé le haon duine dena Teachtaí Dála ar an dtaobh thall nó leis na ceannairí pairtí, nó beidh Bord na Gaeilge sásta é a phlé leo, go bhfeicimid céard is féidir linn a dhéanamh le féabhas a cur ar an gceist sin.
Ní miste a lua go mbeidh cuid de Roinn na Gaeltachta ag aistriú go Gaeltacht Chonamara, go dtí Na Forbacha, i gceann coicíse nó mar sin. Mar atá a fhios againn tá an oifíg nua tógtha agus is cuid de phlean an Rialtais seo dílárú a dhéanamh chomh fada agus is féidir é sin a dhéanamh ar Ranna Stáit. Tá 30 oifígeach nó mar sin i gceist ins an dílárú de chuid Roinn na Gaeltachta agus sílim go gcuideoidh sé lena thaispeáint do mhuintir na tíre go bhfuil an Roinn lán-dáiríre i dtaobh forbairt eacnamaíochta agus forbairt chultúrtha na Gaeltachta, gur cheart duinn brú ar aghaidh chomh tapaidh agus is féidir leis an dílárú sin.
Tuigeann Teachtaí gurb í an Ghaeltacht foinse agus tobar na teangan agus gurb í an Ghaeltacht agus a slánú ar sin a chaomhnós chugainn an chuid is luachmhaire dár gcultúr nó dár n-oidhreacht. Is tuar dóchais domsa an dea-thoil atá ann anois don Ghaeltacht agus don Ghaeilge atá le n-aireachtáil go forleathan sin ar fud na tíre agus is gnó é a bhaineann linn uilig an bhá atá ann anois don Ghaeilge, don teanga agus don chultúr a shaothrú ar bhealach go mbeidh siad fonnmhar iarracht phearsanta a dhéanamh iad féin iarracht leanúnach le go mbeidh an Ghaeilge mar ghnáth-mhéan cumarsáide. Ba mhaith liom a rá chomh fada agus a bhaineann sé liomsa mar Aire na Gaeltachta mar bhall den Teach seo go mbeidh mise sásta aon chomhoibriú nó aon chabhair a thabhairt agus nár mhaith liom go rachadh éinne amach as an dTeach leis an dtuairim nach bhfuil mé sásta cur suas le duine nach bhfuil an Ghaeilge ar a thoil, go dtugaim chuile chabhair gur féidir liom don té sin. Mar sin, mar a deirim, beimid ag brath orainn anseo, ar mhuintir na tíre, ach go háirithe ar Bhord na Gaeilge agus ar an Údarás le forbairt na teangan agus forbairt eacnamaíochta na Gaeltachta a chur chun cinn san bhliain atá amach romhainn.
Cuireadh agus aontaíodh an Vóta.
