Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Dublin South-Central · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“In a reply to a parliamentary question on MetroLink in April of this year, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, again stated his belief that the MetroLink terminus can facilitate any potential future MetroLink expansion to serve the south west, south or south east of Dublin should sufficient demand develop. That demand is already there.”
“A millennium and a half later, with Ireland serving as the President of the Council of the European Union, it is the same law we want to see enforced in the era of AI. In the words of the author Scott Turow, in paraphrasing The Atlantic's Alex Reisner, the bold future promised by AI has been "created with stolen words".”
“Tá roinnt samplaí anseo agam. Glacaim leis gur chuir an conradh agus BÁNÚ roinnt samplaí eile chuig an Aire ag léiriú an damáiste a dhéanfaidh sé sin. In ainneoin an méid atá ráite aige, i gceantair áirithe, tá coinníollacha ar leith ann ó thaobh forbróirí atá ag forbairt iliomad tithíochta faoi láthair.”
“Theft is being rewarded and creativity is being punished to the tune of €22 billion globally in music and film, according to the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers. The European directives are no longer fit for purpose because of the exemptions granted to train AI.”
“Cloisim é seo. Chuala mé é thar na blianta ó dhaoine a bhí ag iarraidh go laghdófaí teorainn na Gaeltachta. Bhí siad ag iarraidh díriú isteach ar na ceantair a bhí in ísle brí ó thaobh labhairt na Gaeilge chun iad a chaitheamh amach ón nGaeltacht. Bhí siad ag iarraidh go mbeadh an Ghaeltacht srianta go dtí ceantair ina bhfuil 50% ann.”
“Bhí líne den scoth sa leabhar Ag Caint Linn Fhéin , a scríobh Joe Steve Ó Neachtain, laoch an Ghluaiseacht Chearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta agus ealaíontóir ildánach, "Is é an croí atá i gceol na hÉireann a dhéanann náisiún mór den náisiún beag seo ar fud an domhain." Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam. Tír gan ealaín, tír gan chroí.”
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“Tá ceist agam maidir leis seo agus is é seo ceann de na rudaí atá gafa chomh maith le leasú atá agam níos sia ar aghaidh. Tá míniú á thabhairt anseo maidir le comhaltaí ceaptha. Táim den tuairim nár chóir go mbeadh comhaltaí ceaptha ach gur comhaltaí tofa a bheadh i gceist. Ar líne 11, ar leathanach 9 den Bhille luaitear i lúibíní: “ciallaíonn ‘comhalta ceaptha’ comhalta dá dtagraítear in alt 6(2)(a)”. Is é sin an ceann atá i gceist agam i leasú Uimh. 2. Is é sin an fáth go mbeadh sé i gceist agam leasú a chur síos ar Chéim na Tuarascála chun déileáil leis seo ag an staid sin seachas díreach ar an gCéim atá luaite i leasú Uimh 2.”
“It was the same with the other Statute Law Revision Acts in that people do not usually, when they are studying history, go to the law books to find out what laws were passed, but this is a treasure trove. I welcome the Bill and the decision to address the anomaly that is there. I have asked one question. We can come back to some of this on Committee Stage.”
“In 1849, for instance, in Cappoquin, there was a rising of the forerunners of the Fenians. There is no name. It was not the Young Irelanders. There is a proclamation for their arrest for the killing of RIC Sub-Constable Owens at Cappoquin. That is where one of the casualties of that rising happened. There were consequences to those proclamations. Sometimes people were apprehended; other times they were not. Sometimes when they were apprehended, especially in that period of our history, they were transported to Australia, and there is a whole history there. There is link not just to here but also abroad. It is a very interesting exercise. When I studied history, this was not an area where I would go looking for history or details. In fact, it points that way.”
“I noticed reference to an "Order preparing a form of prayer and thanksgiving to Almighty God for Her Majesty’s safe delivery of a prince". That sounds grandiose, but then a year later one can see a "Proclamation for apprehending the five men who murdered Matthew Hill, agent, in the Glen of Aherlow, Co. Tipperary". That was literally at the time when the first potato crop was been failing in County Tipperary and elsewhere around the country. There are those kinds of events. There are other events reflected in these proclamations. I advise people who have an interest in the history of that period to look at them and they will see the proclamations that were issued which capture, even in the short subject matter we have in front of us, what was happening in those regions at that time.”
“It accelerated because of the Famine and that allowed the clearance of huge landed estates across the country and there was a reaction among the Irish at that time. They sought to defend their land and our nationality. The Ribbonmen were often very local agrarian societies. Often they amalgamated and they became just a small local society. There is a history there and some of that history has fortunately been well-written. A number of specific items jumped out at me. They highlight periods of revolution or risings at different stages across the country. They are a glimpse of our history, so while we are deleting them from our Statute Book, they still exist as part of our history. They will still exist in the libraries into the future.”
“An illustration of how poor is that nearly half the British Army was recruited from Ireland at that stage. That was the scale of the poverty. People had no choice as there was no money. While everybody who went to school here, and many around the world, will know of the Famine of 1845 to 1850, they will not be aware of the huge number of crop failures not just in that period but before and after that famine. The only recourse people had in many cases was to attack the stores of food the landlords and their agents held. That was a way to try to get food and distribute it among people. People were also being driven off their land and being sent, even at that early stage in the 19th century, to America. Passage to America was being sought before the Famine.”
“When we look at the titles, they are in some ways innocuous, but it gives a glimpse of the disturbed nature of Ireland in those years because most of them are proclamations to arrest somebody or other for damage to property or in many cases for the burning of crops or the like. There is a reference to the apprehension of persons for the murder of somebody in Aughnacloy. When most people are taught about this period of history in school they are taught Ireland was quite peaceful, that people were very poor and that they did nothing because they all supported Daniel O’Connell. However, if you go through this Bill, you see they were not supporting Daniel O’Connell and his peaceful means at all. They were more aligned with the Ribbonmen or the Whiteboys. Agrarian outrages was the way the British put this across. Ireland was very poor.”
“Are they now part of or tied to our existing legislation or is it that at some stage or other they will be superseded by new laws? I remember in the past some of it was to do with legal title and rights to land. I am not sure about that in this instance. It is not clear. It was mentioned that five instruments were being retained but that will obviously be reduced to four with the removal of one on foot of the amendment the Minister of State proposes. In all this, I wish those who attempted to go through 40,000 pieces of legislation well. God love them. I hope they now have a professorship or similar based on this.”
“As the Minister of State said, it is good the public can have that influence through Senators and TDs. It is part of the work we do. People sometimes identify anomalies in our laws because of their circumstances or interests and in this case there did not seem to be any logic to retention of the Ulster King of Arms. There is a whole debate around the granting of arms and the like. Again, it is useful given the huge number of proclamations now being rescinded or deleted from our Statute Book by this legislation. In the explanatory memorandum, there is mention of 40,000 secondary instruments that were looked at in this case. Only 3,367 of those are being repealed, so the question is: what is happening to the other 36,633? Have they been updated?”
“I welcome this Bill. It is the fourth if not the fifth such legislation I have addressed, that is, a Statute Law Revision Bill, where the State eventually gets around to getting rid of old British laws that have sat on our statutes. At this stage there are quite a number that are totally superfluous because they are proclamations to arrest people who have been dead for over 100 if not 200 years. It shows how the Statute Book can get clogged up, especially given the over 850-year history of this island being subject to imperialism. I welcome what the Minister of State said just now. It saves me the bother of repeating what Senator Boyhan had intended. I thank Michael Merrigan from the genealogical groups who have campaigned for quite a number of years and highlighted this as an issue, which is not just a one-off.”
“There must be a reinstated and enhanced ceasefire which allows food and medical supplies to immediately get in to the people who are suffering. The Palestinian people must be allowed to draw up a plan for the rebuilding of this proud city with the help of other nations. They must be allowed to receive help from outside to rebuild their lives. The EU must become guarantor or advocate in the same way it has been an advocate for Ukraine. The EU needs to be an advocate for Palestine. We have standing internationally because of our neutral stance in wars around the world to such a degree that people recognise the sacrifice of upwards of 47 Irish soldiers in UN missions. That can be jeopardised if we do not stand up and take action.”
“Israel has stood over the equivalent of a medieval siege. Its respect for international law is nowhere to be seen in any of its actions in recent years or maybe before. In fact, it rejects it totally as we can see in its approach to the International Criminal Court. It has even breached the limited ceasefire which was in place and which gave people some hope that those who were injured, dying or starving in Gaza would have some respite but there was no such thing. The murderous genocidal Government has unleashed horrific attacks in the last couple of days. There must be full sanctions against Israel on a par with those imposed on Russia for its war against Ukraine and its attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. The Zionist Government’s scorched-earth policy of slaughter in Palestine cannot be allowed to continue.”
“Every time Israel knows Europe will not take action to implement its own provisions. Israel has been emboldened. It has been emboldened to the stage where it has carried out renewed large-scale murderous and genocidal attacks on civilians, the destruction of infrastructure, hospitals, roads, and civilians and their homes. It is collective punishment. We are now in the third decade where Israel is inflicting collective punishment against those living in the Gaza region of Palestine. Starvation of the population is clear. Israel is preventing food from getting into a war zone where people are dying of starvation. It is allowing the spread of disease. It has been responsible for the deaths of over 50,000 people at this stage and has been responsible for the targeting of UN facilities, not only in Gaza but elsewhere.”
“Article 79 of the same agreement begins, "If either Party considers that the other Party has failed to fulfil an obligation under the Agreement, it may take appropriate measures." Yet when in 2002, the European Parliament voted to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement in response to gross human rights violations by Israel then in Jenin and Nablus, the European Commission failed to take any action. That has been the case since. Even when there is a renewed partnership with the southern neighbourhood, a new agenda for the Mediterranean, which falls within the European neighbourhood policy through which Israel benefits from deeper bilateral association, all its provisions are being ignored. The Treaty on the European Union is being ignored as is the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.”
“International trade agreements should never be at the cost of human rights and their promotion or at the cost of the freedoms that societies enjoy, yet we have seen in those which were signed between Europe and Israel that there is a casual ignoring of those provisions by Israel. They seem to be emboldened over the years to ignore them because there have been no consequences even though Article 2 of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement, which was established as an association between the European Communities and the State of Israel, stated that relations between the parties as well as all of the provisions of the agreement shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles that guide the internal and international policy and constitute an essential element of the agreement.”
“That is bad, but it is going to be even worse if those two children are put into homeless accommodation for God knows how long, given the state of the homelessness list in this city. This is one scheme that can work. A landlord is willing to engage but is being forced to look at the private market because of the delays in the Minister making an announcement on this scheme and in the local authorities addressing the problems. There is also the fact the local authorities are saying they will not move because of adaptations such as attic conversions. The Government is talking about allowing sheds in back gardens but will not allow people to live in a home they have been in for seven years.”
“I listened to what the Minister of State said about the lack of refurbishment funding in this. That is absolutely ridiculous, given the situations in which many of these families find themselves. Many of these homes are not visited by local authorities because over the years, housing assistance payment, HAP, and the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, have not been adequately addressed, yet these people are expected to stay in that accommodation. I have one case of a 29-year-old with two autistic children who is paying privately for therapy because, once again, the State has failed her. Seven years into a HAP payment, however, no assessment has ever been done on her property.”
“Tacaím leis an scéim tithíochta sóisialta do thionóntaí ar an láthair. Is scéim é a bhí ann go dtí seo - measaim gur chóir leanúint léi - chun déileáil leo siúd atá ar an liosta tithíochta sóisialta cheana féin agus atá faoi bhagairt go mbeidh siad gan dídean amach anseo. Níl ann ach píosa amháin de na céimeanna ar gá dóibh a bheith ann chun déileáil leis an ngéarchéim thithíochta agus a ligeann do chlanna seasmhacht a bheith acu ina saol seachas bata agus bóthar a bheith tugtha dóibh. I gcás a lán díobh siúd atá ag lorg tacaíochta óna leithéid de scéim, bíonn siad sna tithe ar feadh tréimhse cuibheasach fada agus bíonn siad ceangailte leis an gceantar ina bhfuil siad ag iarraidh fanacht. Others have spoken about the need to address this to ensure that there is less homelessness, but there is also a need for quicker decision-making.”
“Would the Minister be willing to meet members of the campaign group or at least get her officials to meet them? They have been abandoned since last September. There should be a meeting so that they can address some of the questions I asked.”
“Thar an tréimhse atá againn, níos lú ná bliain go leith, tá obair mhór le déanamh leis an suíomh a chur in oiriúint ionas go mbeidh dhá scoil ar an suíomh sin ag an am céanna fad is atá siad ag aistriú ó Bhéarla go Gaeilge thar tréimhse sé bliana.”
“Bheadh sé deacair do dhá scoil - scoil Ghaeilge agus scoil Bhéarla - a bheith ar an suíomh ceannann céanna gan leithreas ann do chailíní nó do mhná. Níl saotharlann ann don eacnamaíocht bhaile nó don fhisic beo. Níl seomra inacmhainne nó seomra RSO ann. Tá rudaí ar leith gur gá a dhéanamh má tá an Gaelcholáiste nua le bheith ar oscailt i mí Mheán Fómhair 2026. Tá rudaí gur gá dóibh tarlúint an samhradh seo - summer works projects - nuair nach bhfuil an scoil ar oscailt. Más gá athruithe a dhéanamh ar an bhfoirgneamh nó ar an gclós leis an dá scoil a scarúint, ba chóir go mbeadh sé sin ag tosú i mbliana, agus tuilleadh oibre le déanamh arís an bhliain seo chugainn.”
“Is maith an rud é go bhfuil an Roinn go huile is go hiomlán ceangailte leis an gcoimitmint atá fógraithe maidir leis an nGaelcholáiste seo a bheith bunaithe laistigh de dheisceart lár na cathrach. Tá súil agam go mbeidh sé ar an suíomh seo. Mura bhfuil, caithfear féachaint ar phlean B toisc go bhfuil sé ráite go hoscailte ag roinnt dóibh siúd i mbainistíocht na scoile ar Shráid Synge faoi láthair nach bhfuil sé i gceist acu é seo a dhéanamh. Tá súil agam go mbeidh an Roinn in ann déileáil leo agus a rá go bhfuil sé seo ag dul ar aghaidh. Má tá sé ag dul ar aghaidh, tá jab eile le déanamh. Tá fhios agam go raibh ailtirí na Ranna ar an suíomh ag féachaint ar an bhfoirgneamh agus ar na rudaí gur chóir díriú isteach orthu.”
“An féidir leis an Aire a chinntiú go n-osclóidh an Gaelcholáiste seo le haghaidh Baile Átha Cliath 2, 4, 6, 8 i mí an Mheithimh an bhliain seo chugainn mar a dúradh ag an am? Cinnteodh sé seo sa deireadh thiar thall go bhfuil bealach ann do pháistí leanúint leo ag fáil oideachas trí Ghaeilge mar a chreidimse go bhfuil sé de cheart acu. Níl aon scoil dara leibhéal eile sa cheantar le haghaidh go leor de na paistí as na Gaelscoileanna atá luaite agam, atá ag iarraidh leanúint leis an nGaeloideachas. Bíonn orthu casadh ar an mBéarla. Cuireann sé brú ollmhór ar dhaltaí ag aois 12 nuair is gá dóibh athrú iomlán a dhéanamh ón teanga oideachasúil atá acu. Is minic go gcailleann siad cuid dá gcairde scoile toisc go dtéann roinnt dóibh i dtreo amháin agus roinnt i dtreo eile. Tá súil agam go bhfuil an tAire in ann an soiléiriú sin a thabhairt.”
“Bhí daoine ag tnúth leis an Gaelcholáiste nua seo ar an seansuíomh ar Shráid Synge. Tuigim go raibh fadhbanna ann, ach bíonn fadhbanna ann i gcónaí nuair atá athrú i gceist. An bhfuil an Roinn tar éis féachaint ar shuíomhanna eile sa cheantar? Cad atá déanta ag an Roinn ón uair a cuireadh in iúl nach bhfuil an CBS sásta athrú ón Bhéarla go dtí an Ghaeilge sa chás seo? An bhfuil an Roinn tar éis féachaint ar shuíomhanna oiriúnacha eile don scoil seo? An raibh an Roinn i dteagmháil leis an bhfeachtas agus leis na tuismitheoirí a bhí ag tnúth leis an nGaelcholáiste nua? Bhí roinnt dóibh tar éis a rá lena bpáistí go raibh an Gaelcholáiste seo ag teacht. Cad go díreach atá déanta?”
“Bhí na daltaí, na clanna agus iad siúd a bhí taobh thiar den fheachtas ag tnúth leis an athrú seo. Feachtas an-bhríomhar a bhí ann - bhí siad lasmuigh de Thithe an Oireachtais go minic agus iad breá bríomhar. Bhí na daltaí ag súil leis go mbeadh Gaelcholáiste acu ionas go mbeidís in ann leanúint lena dturas oideachasúil, bunaithe ar an tumoideachas sna Gaelscoileanna ina rabhadar ó thús báire. Bhí sé i gceist go mbeidís in ann bogadh isteach i meánscoil nua, ag tosú i mbliain a haon i mí Mheán Fómhair 2026. Is trua é go bhfuil sé cloiste againn anois go bhfuil seans ann nach dtarlóidh sé sin. Tá mé ag lorg soiléiriú ón Aire maidir leis an gceist seo toisc nach raibh cruinnithe ag an Roinn leis an bhfeachtas nó leis na tuismitheoirí ón am gur fhoilsíodh an fhógra, rud nár tharla ró-fhada ó shin.”
“Tá mé ag iarraidh déileáil le ceist Gaelcholáiste 2, 4, 6, 8 agus an drochnuacht a fuarthas le déanaí nach bhfuil an bord bainistíochta ar Choláiste CBS ar Shráid Synge sásta leis an gcinneadh a glacadh agus go bhfuil siad ag tarraingt siar uaidh. Tá mé ag iarraidh soiléirithe ón Aire maidir leis seo. I am seeking clarity regarding the issue of Gaelcholáiste 2, 4, 6, 8. Díreach roimh an toghchán, fógraíodh go mbeadh athrú ag teacht agus go mbeadh Gaelcholáiste ann. Bhí gliondar ar gach uile duine go mbeadh, sa deireadh thiar thall, oideachas meánscolaíochta trí Ghaeilge ar fáil in 2026 do na daltaí ar fad atá ag teacht amach ó rang a sé ó scoileanna cosúil le Bhunscoil Synge Street, Gaelscoil Inse Chór, Gaelscoil Lios na nÓg, Gaelscoil Eoin agus Scoil Bhríde.”
“Caithfimid déanamh cinnte de go mbeidh sé seo ag tarlú, ní i gceann sé mhí nó sin, mar níl anseo ach na treoirlínte, ansin caithfear díriú isteach ar an údarás, ar Uisce Éireann agus ar na bainc nó aon duine chun an t-airgead a chur ar fáil gur féidir le daoine tithe a thógáil i gceantair Ghaeltachta.”
“Aithním go bhfuil spéis ar leith ag an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, sa cheist seo. Bhí sé ar an gcoiste nuair a bhíomar ag déanamh plé ar an gceist seo tamall de bhlianta ó shin. Tá súil agam go n-éireoidh leis. Is trua go bhfuilimid ag an stad ina bhfuilimid, go bhfuilimid trí nó ceithre bliana imithe ón uair a dúradh go mbeadh na treoirlínte seo againn. Ní thógann sé sin ón bhfadhb atá ann. Caithfimid bogadh air seo agus a bheith cinnte. In ainneoin nach mbeidh an dualgas seo ar an Aire, an Teachta O'Donovan, tá dualgas air mar is Aire Rialtais é.”
“Sa deireadh thiar thall, dúradh linn in 2021 go mbeidh siad seo foilsithe sár i bhfad, agus anois faigheann muid freagra nua gach sé mhí. Cad é an dáta a shíleann an tAire a mbeidh siad foilsithe?”
“Déanann sé sin beagáinín níos soiléire agus b'fhéidir beagáinín níos doiléire é. Thar na blianta, chuir mé an cheist seo ar an Aire go minic, agus, i gceart dó, thug sé freagra lom amach dom ar an gceist seo maidir leis an moill i gcónaí agus cuireadh an milleán ar an Roinn tithíochta. Ansin, chuir mé an cheist ar an Aire, an Teachta Ó Brien, a bhí i gceannas ar thithíocht ag an am, agus chuir sé an milleán ar ais ar an Aire. Tá sé ag dul siar agus ar ais agus b'fhéidir go bhfuil an t-ádh ar an Aire anois nach mbeidh na feidhmeanna seo air agus is féidir leis an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, an freagra céanna a thabhairt dom. Sin mar dealraíonn sé ag don dream atá ag féachaint isteach ar an áit seo - go bhfuil Aire amháin ag cur an mhilleáin ar an Aire eile.”
“Tá an cheist seo dírithe ar cheist a d'ardaigh mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Conor D. McGuinness, cheana féin maidir leis an ngéarchéim tithíochta. Is é an chéad rud ná le haithint go bhfuil géarchéim ann. Má aithníonn an Rialtas é sin, cad atá na hAirí ag déanamh maidir leis an gceist seo? Chuala mé an freagra a thug sé níos luaithe, ach sa chás seo, céard iad na dátaí agus na sonraí maidir leis an gcaidreamh idir an dá Roinn le tamall de bhlianta anuas ó thaobh treoirlínte pleanála?”
“I agree with Deputy Geoghegan on this matter. Many derelict sites in this city could be used not just for artistic purposes but also for allotments. We need to look at that and ensure that, somehow or other, we incentivise those who are hoarding land in this city to make use of it. First of all it should be used for residential property, but if a project is delayed for a year or two, we should be able to find uses for these buildings and ensure that artists in particular can find the space, which they do not have at the moment, to practise their crafts.”
“There is also a question as to whether the Arts Council itself, or any such State organisation, should be responsible for such an IT project or whether the projects should be centralised. This is another question. When will the review be completed? The Minister made the point that not much of this project can be retrieved. What can be retrieved? Is there any indication at this early stage of how much money can be retrieved? What are the consequences? Will this colossal waste of taxpayers' money, which could have been well spent on other projects or even properly spent on this project, have consequences? In particular, this was aimed at artists and making it easy for artists to interact with the Arts Council. They are down because they do not have this system.”
“I thank the Minister. I welcome the review and while I am not trying to pre-empt its findings, at the end of the day, the Minister himself just mentioned that, in April 2021, the project was "tracking red" or flagged. Somebody, somewhere did not inform the Minister. Who was responsible? Who was liaising with the Arts Council? Who in the Arts Council was meant to liaise with the Department? It should not take a review to come up with the person or persons responsible and why they did not act at that stage, when deadlines were not being reached or going to be reached or when, in 2021 and before, it was indicated there was a need to increase the funding to deliver the project. This is what seemed to be indicated at that stage. Who is responsible at this stage?”
“This question relates to the Arts Council and the IT project. I am trying to find out, once and for all, when the Department was informed of problems with it, who is being held responsible and what the consequences are. This comes on foot of several questions I posed to the Minister previously to which I never received a full answer.”
“Tá a fhios agam go raibh an-spéis ag an Teachta O’Donovan i gcur chun cinn na Gaeilge i measc an phobail. Tá €140,000 bainte as scéim dírithe ar fhéilte. Is féidir linn, is féidir leis an Aire agus is féidir leis an Roinn tograí aonuaire a mhaoiniú agus b’fhéidir gur sin an bealach timpeall air seo láithreach bonn chun cuidiú leis na féilte seo sa bhealach sin.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as sin. Tuigim go bhfuil, mar a dúirt sé, na feidhmeanna á n-aistriú go dtí an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, ach is an Aire, an Teachta O'Donovan, atá os mo chomhair inniu agus tá sé anseo thar ceann an chórais mar sin. Is teachtaireacht é seo don chóras. Caithfimid uilig teacht ar bhealach timpeall air. Ní rud polaitiúil atá i gceist go bhfuil mé ag spochadh as an Aire, an Teachta O’Donovan, nó as an gcóras. Tá mise sásta cuidiú in aon bhealach gur féidir liom ach caithfimid smaoineamh ar bhealaí cliste más gá le teacht timpeall ar an bhfadhb ionas nach bhfuil na heagrais thíos €800,000 nach bhfuil ar fáil dóibh. Mar shampla, tá an scéim tacaíochta gnó agus beidh an chéad glaoch eile ann do scéim na bhféilte. Beidh an scéim seo thíos €140,000.”
“Cloisim go ndeir an tAire nach bhfuil an buiséad réitithe go fóill ach tá a fhios ag gach uile dhuine go bhfuil an buiséad réitithe mar tá sé soiléir nach bhfuil airgead breise ag teacht ón bhFeidhmeannas toisc cinntí an DUP. Dá réir, ní bheidh aon fhás ar bhuiséad Fhoras na Gaeilge. Caithfimid teacht timpeall ar fhadhb atá cuíosach bunúsach le tamall de bhlianta anuas áit atá an Stát ag rá go hoscailte go bhfuil sé sásta cur leis an airgead agus go bhfuil an fhadhb ó Thuaidh. Is fadhb pholaitiúil í ach is fadhb í sa chás seo atá ag cur as do na sé cheanneagrais go bhfuil €800,000 á tharraingt siar ón obair atá ar bun acu. Na dreamanna a bheidh thíos leis seo ná dreamanna atá thíos cheana féin toisc nach raibh aon ardú sa bhuiséad acu le blianta agus an fhadhb bunúsach seo ann. Caithfimid teacht timpeall air seo ar bhealach.”
“Is ceist í seo mar gheall ar mhaoiniú Fhoras na Gaeilge agus an gá go ndíreofaí isteach le teacht timpeall ar an bhfadhb bhunúsach go bhfuil ciorraithe anois de €800,000 ar an mbuiséad a bheas ag na sé cheanneagraíocht Gaeilge de thairbhe chinneadh Fhoras na Gaeilge.”
“Dúirt Teachtaí Fhine Gael gur chóir go mbeadh oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge ar fáil do chách ach anocht vótálfaidh siad i gcoinne an rún chun an ceart sin a aithint. Tá focal againn i nGaeilge nuair nach ndéanann daoine gníomhú de réir a mbriathra - "bréag" atá i gceist ansin.”
“Níl na treoirlínte fiú luaite sa chlár Rialtas i mbliana cé go bhfuil bánú ag tarlú sa Ghaeltacht, nuair nach féidir leis an gcuid is mó den ghnáthphobal teach a thógáil nó a cheannach sna ceantair sin. Tá líon na nGaeilgeoirí laethúla ag titim. Tá borradh ar an nGaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht a bhuí go háirithe le leithéidí Kneecap agus na díograiseoirí eile thar na cianta a bhí ag streachailt ina measc. Ach tar éis 20 bliain de dhí-infheistiú ón Rialtas anseo, agus an DUP anois ag cur cosc ar arduithe maoinithe, tá iarrachtaí pobal ag streachailt fad is atáimid anseo ag maíomh as a gcuid oibre. Thug Sinn Féin an deis don Dáil aréir dul níos faide ná béalghrá bliantúil na ráitis seo. Bhí sé spéisiúil nár labhair aon duine ó Fhianna Fáil sa díospóireacht sin.”
“An bréag a bhí sna geallúintí go léir faoi threoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta, sé sin go mbeadh siad ann faoin Nollaig 2021, agus ansin sa chéad ráithe de 2022, roimh dheireadh 2022, go luath i 2023, i lár 2023, faoi Cháisc 2023, agus i lár 2024? Ní raibh na treoirlínte luaite in óráid an Aire díreach anois. An bréag a bhí ann nuair a dúirt oifigigh an Roinn tithíochta in 2022 go raibh na treoirlínte críochnaithe acu ach go raibh siad ag fanacht ar Roinn na Gaeltachta? An bréag a bhí ann nuair a dúirt an Roinn Gaeltachta in 2023 go raibh na treoirlínte críochnaithe aige ach go raibh sé ag fanacht ar an Roinn tithíochta? Níl mise ag rá gur bhréag a bhí ann, ach is léir nach bhfuil an fhírinne i gceist sna ráitis seo go léir.”
“Tá a lán cainte an tseachtain seo le linn Seachtain na Gaeilge - nó coicís na Gaeilge ag an staid seo - faoi bhrí focail Ghaeilge. Bhí a lán cainte ann le déanaí faoi cad is “bréag” ann. An bréag a bhí i gceist in Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú) 2021, ós rud é go bhfuil ailt 9A, 18C, 18E agus 19A á sárú ag an Rialtas? An bréag a bhí i gceist leis an ndualgas in Acht an Gharda Síochána, 2003 gardaí le Gaeilge a lonnú sa Ghaeltacht, dualgas atá á shárú go leanúnach ag an Rialtas? An bréag a bhí sna geallúintí go dtiocfadh toghchán Údarás na Gaeltachta ar ais? Cad faoin ngeallúint i leith scéim labhairt na Gaeilge?”
“Deputy Gary Gannon - To discuss the implementation of the Taoiseach's task force for Dublin. Deputy Claire Kerrane - To discuss the removal of 24-7 advanced paramedic cover at Roscommon. Deputy David Cullinane - To discuss persistent water outages in Lismore, County Waterford. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty - To discuss the continued operation of the Wombles preschool from Scoil Mhuire National School, Airlie Heights, Lucan. Deputies Thomas Gould and Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire - To discuss the lack of special school places in Cork and to discuss the current shortage of school places, particularly for children with additional needs. The matters raised by Deputies Alan Kelly, Séamus McGrath, William Aird and Claire Kerrane have been selected for discussion”
“Deputy Séamus McGrath - To discuss the system whereby the Passport Office seeks confirmation from An Garda Síochána about individual passport signatures. Deputy Duncan Smith - To discuss the need for an increased provision of primary care centres in Fingal. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore - To discuss the sale of Bord na Móna recycling. Deputy William Aird - To discuss protecting peat soil farmers. Deputy Peter Roche - To discuss information and support for parents of children receiving special education who are transitioning from primary to post-primary education. Deputy Donna McGettigan - To discuss ongoing community safety issues in County Clare. Deputy Brian Stanley - To discuss the need for additional accommodation in St. Francis Special School, Portlaoise.”
“Deputy Louise O'Reilly - To discuss the need for access to reliable broadband in Dublin Fingal West. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan - To discuss overcrowding and capacity at University Hospital Limerick. Deputy Marie Sherlock - To discuss the exclusion of mainstream classes in Holy Child preschool on Seán MacDermott Street, Dublin 1 from special educational needs support. Deputy Seamus Healy - To discuss an application by St. Mary's CBS primary school, Clonmel, County Tipperary for an emergency works grant. Deputy Rory Hearne - To discuss the increase in the number of families and children in homeless hubs. Deputy Eamon Scanlon - To discuss the provision of transport for cancer patients in the north west.”
“I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Aidan Farrelly - To discuss the lack of school places and school building projects in Kildare. Deputy Mark Wall - To discuss the need to reopen the Allenwood daycare centre, County Kildare. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú - To discuss the difficulties in mental health services in the Louth-Meath area. Deputy Malcolm Byrne - To discuss the introduction of a youth culture card. Deputy Darren O'Rourke - To discuss the need for extra mainstream primary school places in Dunshaughlin, County Meath. Deputy Alan Kelly - To discuss the need to open the new community nursing home in Nenagh, County Tipperary.”
“Impím ar an Rialtas casadh arís ar a bhfuil leagtha síos sa rún agus gan aon mhoilleadóireacht ach bogadh dá réir, agus an mhaoin, na háiseanna agus na hacmhainní a chur sa treo ceart ionas nach mbeimid ar ais anseo arís ag caint ar an ábhar ceannann céanna i gceann deich mbliana eile.”
“In ainneoin nach bhfuil Gaeilge ag roinnt acu, tuigeann siad an buntáiste atá leis an ilteangachas agus tá meas orthu acu ar an nGaeilge, ach níl an ceart á thabhairt dóibh a bpáistí a chur chuig Gaelscoileanna agus, i go leor codanna den tír, níl na Gaelcholáistí ann. Caithfimid déileáil leis sin agus déileáil leis go tapa, ní hamháin ar son measa nó grá don teanga, ach, chomh maith leis sin, mura ndéileáiltear leo, ní bheidh na múinteoirí, na gardaí, na banaltraí nó na hinnealtóirí le Gaeilge ann chun seirbhísí an Stáit a sholáthar. Táimid tar éis reachtaíocht a rith anseo le tamall de bhlianta anuas leis an sprioc go mbeidh 20% dóibh siúd atá earcaithe sa Státseirbhís inniúil sa Ghaeilge faoi 2030. Ní tharlóidh sé sin gan infheistíocht sna moltaí a leag mé síos.”
“Mar shampla, d'fhreastail mo pháistí ar Ghaelscoil Inse Chór i mBaile Átha Cliath 8, ach bhí cónaí orainn i mBaile Átha Cliath 10 agus i mBaile Átha Cliath 12 ag an am. Níl aon Ghaelscoil ansin fós, in ainneoin go bhfuil feachtas ann le breis is 20 bliain go dtógfar ceann. Bhí na tuismitheoirí ann, tá na tuismitheoirí agus an t-éileamh ann, ach fós féin, níl an Stát tar éis bogadh ó thaobh foirgneamh, suíomh nó caint cheart maidir leis sin. Dá mbeadh garpháistí agam agus cónaí orthu i mBaile Átha Cliath 10 nó 12, ní bheidís in ann freastal ar Ghaelscoil mar níl ann dóibh. Tá na Gaelscoileanna sna ceantair timpeall orthu lán go doras. Sin an sórt ruda a bhfuil daoine ag caint faoi, iad siúd atá ag éileamh ar Ghaeloideachas dá bpáistí agus atá díograiseach ar son na Gaeilge.”