Nílim-se chun vótáil i gcoinne na tairiseinte seo. 'Na dhiaidh sin, tar éis na taithighe a bhí againn san Seanad deireannach, is soiléir gur gá dhúinn Cathaoirleach do thogha a bheadh nea-spleách ar fad sa Ghaoluinn. An Páirtí go bhfuil furmhór na vótanna acu, deir siad féin gurab é a gceart é an chathaoir do bheith ag duine dá muintir féin. Má sé a gceart é, 'dé chúis nár fhéachadar chuige go mbeadh duine acu san Seanad go mbeadh an Ghaoluinn ar a thoil aige agus a bheadh oiriúnach i ngach slí eile chun gnó an Chathaoirligh do dhéanamh? Bhí an cúram san orra ach níor dheineadar cúram de. Ní haon mhaitheas, is dócha, bheith ag plé na ceiste anois agus nílim á thógaint ar an Seanadóir Mac Giobúin gan Gaoluinn a bheit haige, ach ní haon mhaith dhúinn bheith á leigint orainn go bhfuiltear ag tabhairt a cirt don Ghaoluinn, mar níltear.
I am not opposing this motion. I recognise that it is desirable that the election of a Chairman should be unanimous and that, if there be discussion, we should as far as possible avoid personalities. There is, however, one point which it seems to me ought to be made. On a previous occasion here in proposing a certain Senator for the Chair, I said:—
"I believe that the Chairman of this House should have a sound knowledge of the Irish language and should be able to understand fully, and at once, speeches made in that language and questions put to him in that language. He should be able adequately to deal in that language with any situations which may arise. That is surely the minimum right of an Irish speaker in the Seanad under the Constitution and even in the natural order of things. A mere nodding acquaintance with Irish does not suffice in the Chair."
In spite of what we have heard in Irish, however, the majority Party here have not seen fit to accept this principle and propose for the Chair a person competent to transact the business of the House in Irish and who would not be embarrassed by being addressed naturally and fluently in that language. I regret that decision personally, but I do not propose to argue it any further.
It was not my view on the last occasion, and it is not my view now, that an incompetent or unsuitable person should be put into the Chair here or put into any position anywhere, simply because he knows Irish. The Chairman, once elected, will have from me personally, and from any members of this House whom I can influence, the same assistance in the transaction of the business of the House which he received during the brief term of the last Seanad. I recognise that it is the duty of everybody to do whatever he can to see that our business is transacted smoothly and in a manner which will reflect credit on us all; but I do think that we ought not to use the Irish language to choose a Chairman who, in fact, as was demonstrated very fully in the last House, is not competent to transact the business adequately in that language.
