Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies O'Callaghan and Ó Snodaigh. What they have referred to concerning these amendments is provided for in the Official Languages Act 2003. In practice, though, I have a degree of sympathy with the suggestions the Deputies have made. I have discussed this aspect with groups. I refer to the different levels of service given in all State bodies to people who wish to conduct their business through Irish. It is not something specific to planning or anything like it. Our local authorities are improving in this regard. Each of our local authorities has an oifig na Gaeilge. My own one in Fingal enables people to interact and work in Gaeilge. There is no Gaeltacht area in Fingal but a lot of Irish is spoken in the area. We work very hard with the local authorities to ensure this happens.

Specifically concerning planning, if people submit an application in Irish, they should get an answer in Irish. This is provided for under the Official Languages Act 2003. I know, however, of instances where this does not happen. To be very frank, I have some sympathy for these proposals. I am just not in a position to accept them right now. The primary Act in this context is the Official Languages Act 2003 and this is where this type of provision should sit.

As I said, I have some sympathy for these amendments. It would mean in any legislative context, however, such as anything to do with education, agriculture and right the way through, putting in a provision for any business concerning any legislation under any Department. This is where the Official Languages Act 2003 is supposed to guide us. That is the primary Act that is supposed to guide us in how people should be able to operate in the Irish language and vindicate their rights as Irish speakers. It is a matter for that Act and not one for this Bill.

I say this even though, on the ground, I do have sympathy for this proposal. It is something we can return to, perhaps with guidelines. I genuinely do not believe, however, it is appropriate to put it into primary legislation. We would then be putting it into every Bill for anything we were to bring forward. Taking the Affordable Housing Act 2021, for argument's sake, would we have to put in a provision to allow people to make an application in Irish in that context? They should be able to, but we do not have such a provision in that legislation. We do not have it in any of the Bills we have enacted on the housing side of things. This aspect is catered for under the Official Languages Act 2003. That is where it should be. This is about vindicating the rights that are already there, and this is the piece of work we have to do.