Vol. 452 No. 1
3 Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Taoiseach the reason the invitation to the ceremony to commemorate all people, North and South, who lost their lives in the Second World War and the victims of the Holocaust was in English only, contrary to the guidelines drawn up by An Roinn Ealaíon, Cultúir agus Gaeltachta for the use of Irish in the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7660/95]
The issue of this invitation, in English, was not contrary to the guidelines in question. These guidelines are general in nature. The guidelines, issued in 1993, are intended as a basis for action programmes to be drawn up by Government Departments and State agencies to implement Government policy as set out in the Programme for a Partnership Government 1993-1997. The Government is committed under A Government of Renewal to continue the availability of State services through Irish and bilingually generally, and especially for the people of the Gaeltacht.
My Department has formulated an action plan documenting the practical steps to be taken to implement this policy in so far as it is concerned. Pursuant to that plan a committee is being established in the Department of the Taoiseach to oversee the promotion of Irish within the Department.
Does the Taoiseach accept that in regard to documentation being sent to people in Gaeltacht areas the programme states:
Seirbhís trí chomhfhreagras: Is í an aidhm ná go mbeadh gach comhfhreagras a thionscnaíonn oifig Stáit le pobal na Gaeltachta go hiomlán dátheangach nó i nGaeilge amháin seachas i leaganacha ar leith Gaeilge is Béarla.
Quotations at this time are not in order.
Does the Taoiseach not accept that the document published in 1993 states clearly that forms being sent to the Gaeltacht — some Members of this House live in Gaeltacht areas — should be bilingual or in Irish only? Furthermore, as that document states there should be a move towards bilingualism, does he not accept it was a serious omission and an insult to a linguist minority to issue the invitation in English only?
This matter should be put in context. We are talking about an invitation to a ceremony to commemorate the Holocaust and the end of the Second World War and to pay tribute, in particular, to the 10,000 Irish people who died in British uniforms during that war. As a result of their sacrifice the continent of Europe was liberated from fascism and the Holocaust was brought to an end. The Deputy will be aware that there were time contraints involved in issuing the invitations because the commemoration had to take place within the timeframe of the anniversary. It was, therefore, a matter of issuing the invitations with reasonable speed and practicality and this was approached in a spirit of reconciliation and inclusiveness. While the Deputy could argue that he has a point, it should be put in the context of a commemoration designed to be as inclusive as possible, to bring together Irish people of different political traditions, some of which are more used to the use of the Irish language than others. In that context the manner in which the invitations were issued was reasonable. However, I will bear in mind the Deputy's concern that in so far as possible bilingual invitations should be issued.
The invitations to the 1916 commemoration are bilingual and an advertisement in today's paper from my Department relating to the strategic management initiative appears in both Irish and English. This indicates a reasonable degree of commitment in this area, but obviously there is room for improvement and we will continue to seek to achieve improvement in this area.
Does the Taoiseach not accept that in an era when we are trying to be all-inclusive, particularly in regard to minorities, and at a time when we are trying to show the people in the North that we are an inclusive State, it is very important to consider the linguistic minority, namely, Irish-speaking people? Does he agree that the cavalier treatment of the linguistic minority in the issuing of these invitations would be of great concern to other minorities? Does the Taoiseach not agree that anybody with a basic knowledge of Irish could have translated the card involved in five minutes? If he has a difficulty in having such invitations translated in the future, I will do it for him.
We should keep a sense of proportion in these matters. I am not sure if the cause of the Irish language is served by making a federal case of a matter such as this. Any questioning of my commitment in this area would be misplaced. I am sure the Deputy will acknowledge that in so far as the place of the Irish language in Northern Ireland is concerned, in my very first contact with Prime Minister John Major I raised the issue of Meánscoil Feirste and as a result of my intervention and representations by others funding has been offered to that school. This is a practical endeavour to improve the position of the Irish language in Northern Ireland. We must recognise, however, that while many from both traditions in Northern Ireland are enthusiastic about the Irish language, unfortunately others hold a different attitude towards it. It is my earnest desire that both traditions are represented at the war memorial at Islandbridge on Friday.
Is the Taoiseach aware that a very nice invitation in Irish and English was issued by the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht for the launching of the Green Paper tomorrow? That invitation also states "informal". Would it be acceptable for me to turn up?
It was leaked only in English.
In the interests of reconciliation——
I want to answer the question.
Deputy O'Rourke is not Taoiseach yet.
I acknowledge the effectiveness of the work of the Minister for the Gaeltacht in this area.
I rose previously when you called me, a Cheann Comhairle. In the interests of reconciliation, of which the Taoiseach has spoken, I certainly will attend on Friday. However, is the Taoiseach concerned that because of the second mix-up of the arrangements for the dates the forum will not be held next Friday morning? I accept the day is important but if it is so important why were the arrangements not made in both languages and why was a proper date not sought on the first occasion?
As the Deputy is aware I announced in this House last February that it was intended to hold a commemoration of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen on 15 April this year. That was widely reported and it was in the Official Report to all Members of the House who wished to avail of it. It was only two months later, when the first of the invitations were issued, that any query was raised about the appropriateness of that date which had been in the public domain for the previous two months. As soon as I heard that there was difficulty from the point of view of representatives of the Jewish community in regard to that date, I had it changed immediately because I was anxious to ensure that this commemoration would be one with which everybody would feel happy. I make the point, however, that by putting it on the record in this House two months previously I gave very full notice to the Jewish community and indeed to members of that faith in this House that 15 April was the intended date. I regret it was not until the invitations were issued that the difficulty was drawn to my attention but, as soon as it was, we changed the date.
In regard to Deputy O'Rourke's point about the postponement of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation, perhaps the Deputy and I have a different view about this. I believe that a commemoration in this State of the sacrifice of people in British uniforms in ending Nazi tyranny in Europe, and a commemoration for the first time by a Taoiseach of this State at the Irish war memorial in Islandbridge — a place which has not been visited frequently by Taoisigh of previous Governments — is probably a more effective means of saying to those of the Unionist and British tradition in Northern Ireland that we value their sacrifice too. This is an important practical demonstration of reconciliation by this Government and I hope it will be supported. I am glad this has been facilitated by the arrangements in regard to the forum. I understand there were no great difficulties in making the rearrangements on that basis. Obviously, one had to select a date and was limited in that regard by diary considerations——
The Anglo-Irish Conference.
——but I believe it will be a commemoration which will give everybody an opportunity to engage in practical reconciliation.
A cock-up.
I want to bring this matter to finality. I consider we have dwelt on it long enough. I call Deputy Seamus Brennan and I ask for brief questions at this stage.
It is right to commemorate these tragedies. However, is the Taoiseach perhaps taking too much credit because my understanding is that the national day of commemoration, which we have instituted here for many years now, is a one day commemoration to commemorate all those who died in various struggles? To an extent, therefore, we have always honoured those people through the national day of commemoration and perhaps the self-congratulatory nature of the Taoiseach's reply might be a little over the top in that regard.
There is a tendency now to debate this matter. It is not a matter for debate now.
Will the Taoiseach give an assurance that our national day of commemoration, which was a proper way of stopping fragmentation of commemorations, of which there were many, will be retained in future?
If the Deputy was here when I answered questions on this matter in February he would know that the national day of commemoration will continue. Indeed, I made it clear in answer to questions in March that specific references to the end of the Second World War would be included in the speech to be made at this year's national day of commemoration. This is the 50th anniversary of the ending of the Second World War; it is not the 51st or the 49th anniversary and it is appropriate to commemorate those who gave their lives to free Europe from Nazi tyranny. If they had not done so there is no guarantee that this country would have been free of that tyranny either.
The Taoiseach deserves to be complimented because, despite our national day of commemoration, we have turned a blind eye to one section of our community and have felt ashamed of honouring what they did. The Taoiseach said that he wanted the ceremony on Friday to be as inclusive as possible. Has he extended invitations to the leadership of all the parties on this island?
I have done so. The invitations have been extended quite widely. The ceremony will be open to all members of the public but it might be of interest to know that the following have been invited: the representatives of all political parties on this island; Members of the Oireachtas; members of the Irish War Memorial Committee; the British Legion; the Jewish Representative Council; the D-Day Association; all Holocaust survivors living in Ireland that we were able to identify; the survivors of the North Strand bombing; former Taoisigh; senior members of the Judiciary, Army, Garda and Defence Forces; representatives of ONE; the veterans of foreign wars of the United States; the American Legion; UN veterans; the Irish-Jewish Museum Committee; the Irish-Israeli Friendship Association and the British and Israeli Ambassadors.
Will they all attend?
Will the Taoiseach not accept that the oversight in this case is a common oversight? Is he aware that, for example, correspondence sent by me in Irish to Departments has recently been replied to in English? Would the Taoiseach say that that is implementation of the Government guidelines?
The Deputy is raising a separate matter now.
I am not aware that it is a common oversight but if it is as common as the Deputy implies, I am surprised he would have chosen this commemoration about which to make the issue.
Will the Deputy be attending?
