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22nd May 2003
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION
Fáilte roimh an Bille Teanga - ach céimeanna móra eile le dul - Ó Snodaigh
Chuir Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, urlabhraí Sinn Fein ar Chúrsaí Ghaeilge agus Gaeltachta, fáilte roimh Bille na dTeangacha Oifigiúla agus an Bille ag teacht isteach sa Dáil den chéad uair. Ach dúirt an Teachta Ó Snodaigh go raibh fadhbanna bunúsacha leis an mBille agus d'iarr sé ar an Rialtas glacadh le leasuithe. Dúirt sé:
``Failtíonn Sinn Fein roimh Bille na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2002. Is céim tabhachtach é seo i dtreo cuspóir lárnach de chuid Sinn Fein i dtaca leis an teanga de, sé sin `an Ghaeilge a chur ar ais i mbéal an phobail'.
``Tá céimeanna eile le dhul leis an chuspóir seo a bhaint amach agus beidh Sinn Fein ag brú ar aghaidh le plean cuimsitheach don teanga ach aithnímid gurb é seo an chéad uair do chearta teanga pobal na hÉireann a bheith aitheanta sa dóigh seo.
``Gabhann Sinn Fein moladh leis na daoine agus na heagraíochtaí a bhí ag feachtasaíocht thar na blianta chun an Bille seo a thabhairt i bhfeidhm. Tá laigí sa Bhille agus tacaíonn Sinn Fein leis na leasuithe ar an mBille atá molta ó Chonradh an Gaeilge, Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge agus Fóram na Gaeltachta. Beidh Sinn Fein ag cur leasuithe chun cinn le linn na díospóireachta i dTeach Laighean agus sa Choiste.
``Táimid ag súil go luath leis an lá go mbeidh bille dá leithéad ar fáil sna 6 Chontae agus cearta teanga á spreagadh is á feidhmniú go huile-Éireannach.
``Iarraimid ar an Taoiseach brú ar Rialtas na Breataine na cearta, a bheas sa bhille seo, a chur i bhfeidhm ó Thuaidh chomh maith.''
English language version of statement follows
Welcome for Language Bill but much more to be done - Ó Snodaigh
Sinn Fein spokesperson on the Irish Language and Gaeltacht Affairs, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, welcomed the Official Languages Bill as it came into the Dáil for debate for the first time today (Thursday). But Deputy Ó Snodaigh said there were fundamental problems with the Bill and he urged the Government to accept amendments. He said:
``Sinn Fein welcomes the Official Languages Bill. This is an important step towards one of the central objectives of Sinn Fein, and that is to put the Irish language back in the speech of the people.
``There are many other important steps necessary to achieve this objective and Sinn Fein will be pressing for a development plan for the language but we recognise that this is the first time the language rights of the Irish people have been recognised in this way.
``Sinn Fein commends those people and organisations who have been campaigning for many years for such legislation. There are weaknesses in the Bill and Sinn Fein supports the amendments proposed by Conradh na Gaeilge, Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge and Fóram na Gaeltachta. Sinn Fein will be putting forward amendments during the passage of the Bill through the Dáil.
``We look forward to the early introduction of a similar Bill in the Six Counties and the vindication of language rights on an all-Ireland basis.
``We urge the Taoiseach to press the British Government to implement in the Six Counties the language rights contained in this Bill.''
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