Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 28 Nov 1984

Vol. 106 No. 3

Comhchoiste don Ghaeilge: Tairiscint.

Professor Dooge

Tairgim:

(1) Go gceapfar Roghchoiste ar a mbeidh 4 chomhalta de Sheanad Éireann a chuirfear i gceangal le Roghchoiste a cheapfaidh Dáil Éireann as a gcruthófar an Comhchoiste don Ghaeilge.

(2) Go ndéanfaidh an Comhchoiste athbhreithniú agus moltaí ó am go ham i dtaobh

(a) úsáid na Gaeilge a leathadh in imeachtaí na Dála agus an tSeanaid agus i dtimpeallacht an dá Theach, agus

(b) cur chun cinn na Gaeilge i gcoitinne,

agus go dtabharfaidh sé tuarascáil do Thithe an Oireachtais — ar mhír (a) a luaithe is féidir agus ina dhiaidh sin uair amháin ar a laghad in aghaidh na bliana ar ghnéithe de mhíreanna (a) agus (b).

(3) Go ndéanfar socrú chun ionadaithe a cheapadh chun gníomhú do chomhaltaí den Chomhchoiste nach mbeidh in ann freastal ar chruinnithe áirithe.

(4) Go ndéanfaidh an Comhchoiste, roimh thosach gnó, duine dá chomhaltaí a thoghadh mar Chathaoirleach agus gan aige ach vóta amháin.

(5) Go gcinnfear na ceisteanna go léir sa Chomhchoiste trí thromlach vótaí na gcomhaltaí a bheidh i láthair agus a vótálfaidh agus i gcás comhionannas vótaí go gcinnfear gur freagra diúltach a thabharfar ar an gceist.

(6) Go mbeidh cumhacht ag an gComhchoiste fianaise a ghlacadh go poiblí agus miontuairiscí fianaise a ghlacfar os a chomhair mar aon le cibé doiciméid ghaolmhara is cuí leis a chlóbhualadh agus a fhoilsiú ó am go ham.

(7) Go ndéanfar gach tuarascáil ón gComhchoiste, arna glacadh ag an gComhchoiste, a leagan faoi bhráid dhá Theach an Oireachtais láithreach agus as a aithle sin go mbeidh ar chumas an Chomhchoiste an tuarascáil sin, mar aon le cibé doiciméid ghaolmhara is cuí leis, a chlóbhualadh agus a fhoilsiú.

(8) Gur 4 chomhalta den Chomhchoiste is Córam dó agus duine amháin ar a laghad díobh ina chomhalta de Dháil Éireann agus duine amháin ar a laghad díobh ina chomhalta de Sheanad Éireann.

I move:

(1) That a Select Committee consisting of 4 members of Seanad Éireann be appointed to be joined with a Select Committee to be appointed by Dáil Éireann to form the Joint Committee on the Irish Language.

(2) That the Joint Committee shall from time to time review and make recommendations in relation to

(a) the extension of the use of Irish in the proceedings of the Dáil and Seanad and in the environs of both Houses, and

(b) the promotion of the Irish language in general,

and report to the Houses of the Oireachtas — on item (a) as soon as practicable and thereafter at least once a year on aspects of items (a) and (b).

(3) That provision be made for the appointment of substitutes to act for members of the Joint Committee who are unable to attend particular meetings.

(4) That the Joint Committee, previous to the commencement of business, shall elect one of its members to be Chairman, who shall have only one vote.

(5) That all questions in the Joint Committee shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members present and voting and in the event of there being an equality of votes the question shall be decided in the negative.

(6) That the Joint Committee shall have power to take evidence in public and to print and publish from time to time minutes of evidence taken before it together with such related documents as it thinks fit.

(7) That every report of the Joint Committee shall, on adoption by the Joint Committee, be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas forthwith whereupon the Joint Committee shall be empowered to print and publish such report together with such related documents as it thinks fit.

(8) That 4 members of the Joint Committee shall form a Quorum of whom at least I shall be a member of Dáil Éireann and at least I shall be a member of Seanad Éireann.

Pléadh tairiscint sa Seanad ar 17 Deireadh Fómhair seo caite "go bhfuil sé oiriúnach" comhchoiste don Ghaeilge a bhunú agus glacadh léi d'aonghuth. Cuireadh teachtaireacht dá réir chuig an Dáil.

Thug an Dáil aird ar an teachtaireacht ar 22 Samhain agus glacadh le tairiscint den saghas céanna d'aonghuth ansin chomh maith. Anois tá teachtaireacht ar ais againn ón Dáil.

Ní miste a rá gur chuir Seanadóirí agus Teachtaí ó gach taobh fáilte roimh an tairiscint agus léirigh siad go mbeadh fonn orthu gach tacaíocht is féidir a thabhairt don chomhchoiste.

Molaim go nglacfar leis an tairiscint atá os ár gcomhair anois chun ordú cuí a dhéanamh agus go gcuirfear scéal dá réir chuig an Dáil i dtreo go bhféadfar dul ar aghaidh chun an comhchoiste a bhunú.

I move accordingly that the motion now before us to make an appropriate order be accepted and that the Dáil be so informed so that the establishment of the Joint Committee can proceed.

Mr. Ferris

I second that.

Séamus dé Brún

Ar son an pháirtí ar an dtaobh seo den Teach, aontaím leis an tairiscint agus ina theannta sin fáiltim roimhe. Tá an-áthas orm ar son pháirtí Fhianna Fáil geallúint go dtabharfaimid gach tacaíocht don dá céim atá ins an tairiscint, sé sin an Ghaeilge a neartú agus a chur dá labhairt i dTithe an Oireachtais agus an dara céim, go neartófar an Ghaeilge ar fud na tíre chomh fada agus is féidir. Is dhá céim ion-mholta iad sin agus cuireann sé áthas orm glacadh leis an tairiscint atá molta agus cuidithe leis anseo inniu agus tá súil agam go n-éireoidh go maith leis an gcoiste a bhunófar de thoradh na tairisceana seo agus go mbeidh dea-obair á déanamh acu sna blianta atá romhainn. Ní miste a rá freisin go bhfuil géar-ghá go mbeadh páirtíthe poilitíochta trí chéile aontaithe ar chúis na Gaeilge, mar ní miste a rá go bhfuil cúis na Gaeilge i ngéarchéim faoi láthair agus go bhfuil gach tacaíocht agus gach cabhair ag teastáil má tá an Ghaeilge le slánú agus aidhm shlánaithe an dúchais Ghaelaigh le neartú san tír seo. Glacaim go fonnmhar leis an tairiscint agus guím gach rath uirthi.

Mr. B. Ryan

Is beag duine sa Teach seo a bheadh i gcoinne na tairisceana seo ach amháin go bhfuil ballraíocht choiste chomh bheag sin. Ní bheidh ach ceathrar as an Teach seo ar an gcoiste. Ní thuigim cén cineál bunphrionsabal ó thaobh Tithe an Oireachtais atá taobh thiar den socrú seo nach mbeidh ach ceathrar as an Teach seo.

Four people from this House effectively excludes the Independent Members. I have enough work to do but many Independents have a sufficient commitment to the language that goes beyond any party political point-scoring and would wish to have the broadest possible participation on this committee, not because we want the extra work but because we believe it is important. Nobody is under any illusion that this committee will transform the environment for the Irish language or that it will transform any of our political fortunes, so nobody is involved in scoring political points. I do not oppose the motion.

I regret that a committee like this, which should have the broadest possible membership of the two Houses of the Oireachtas, is to have a small membership which excludes a significant grouping. There are among the Independent Senators a number of people who have shown a considerable commitment over the years to the Irish language. Senators McGuinness and Rogers are active and regular participants in the use of the language in the media — an area where there is a great need. I do not claim to be a particularly prominent supporter of the language but I have a commitment that goes back a long time to advancing its usage.

Is mór an chúis trua agus an chúis bhróin domsa nach bhfuil spás dúinne, na neamhspleách sa Seanad, ar an gcoiste seo agus ní thuigim cén fáth gur mar sin atá sé.

Mrs. McGuinness

Aontaím leis an tairiscint seo agus tá súil agam go n-éireoidh leis an coiste seo obair mhaith ar son na Gaeilge a dhéanamh. Aontaím freisin leis an Seanadóir Brendan Ryan faoi bhallraíocht an choiste nach mbeidh Seanadoir neamhspleách ar bith air.

Like Senator Brendan Ryan I regret there will be no-one from the Independent group on this committee. Even if the composition of the committee cannot be changed at this stage I ask the Government to consider when they are setting up a committee on an issue which is as broad as this one and which is part of the aims of the Irish people, that they should try to set up a committee which would include as many groups as possible. All the smaller groups in the Dáil and Seanad contain people who have a commitment to the Irish language and I would prefer to see them represented on the Joint Committee.

Professor Dooge

Mar gheall ar an cheist seo nach bhfuil ach ceathrar ann ón Teach seo, bhí an figiúr san moladh oiriúna a rinneamar cheana féin. Mar sin is féidir le aon Bhall den tSeanad nó aon Teachta Dála bheith i láthair ag an gcoiste seo, agus i gcoiste mar seo ní dóigh liomsa nach mbeadh sé in ann bheith páirteach i gcúrsaí an choiste. Mar sin féin is ualach mór atá ar na Teachtaí agus na Seanadóirí san méid atá le déanamh anois leis an choiste seo, an coiste siúd agus an coiste eile.

This figure of four, which was in the original motion agreed to by this House is the figure of those who will be formal members of the committee. There is nothing to prevent any Member attending a meeting of this or, indeed, of most of the other Joint Committees. The nature of this committee would be such that there would not in practice be objections to people taking part in the discussions. In regard to the question that the figure of our automatically means excluding any person from the Independent group, that is not necessarily so. We will, in due course, have a report from the Committee of Selection. We should pass the resolution in the form in which it is.

Cuireadh agus aontaíodh an cheist.

Question put and agreed to.