I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Arts Act 2003 to recognise the art of comedy. Tá comedy ar siúl anseo i gcónaí i slí amháin nó i slí eile. Uaireanta, bíonn muid ródháiríre faoi rudaí agus bíonn gá le bheith beagáinín gealgháireach. The purpose of this Bill is to amend the arts Act to specifically or explicitly recognise the art of comedy as an art form within the arts. We should not need this Bill to do that. It should not be necessary. However, the current law allows …

No. I would be the worst person in the world to give gags to because I would not carry them well. There are certain people in our world who can carry gags better. The art of comedy has been recognised since the ancient Greeks. They recognised drama as being both comedy and tragedy. Thousands of years later, we are still reduced to dealing with it in this way. For me, this problem emerged while I was considering my party's policy. I noticed a petition on change.org set up by Ms Ailish McCarthy, who is in the Gallery…

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

This Bill relates to the levy-raising powers of Coimisiún na Meán under the Broadcasting Act 2009 as amended by the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022. Under section 21 of that Act, the providers of audiovisual media services, sound and broadcasting services and designated online services can be levied to meet the expenses and working capital requirements of Coimisiún na Meán. A levy order was introduced by statutory instrument on 30 April 2024 and the levy started on 1 May. Under section 159E of the Act, …

I move amendment No. 16: In page 28, line 24, to delete "or matter of Government policy".

I move amendment No. 18: In page 28, lines 27 and 28, to delete "or matter of Government policy".

Nílim chun dul trí leasú Uimh. 125 arís. Dhein mé é sin cheana. Tá díomá orm nach bhfuil an tAire ag glacadh leis an teideal Gaeilge sa chás seo. Díreoidh mé isteach ar leasuithe Uimh. 145, 149, 154, 158 agus 165. All of these amendments are to strengthen the legislation in regard to the Irish language and ensure that at every single level the Gaeltacht and Irish language is a specific part of the planning system. I note that the Minister has tabled a later amendment to ensure there are plans for the islands and th…

Díreoidh mé ar leasuithe Uimh. 182 agus 194 ach go háirithe. Under this section, headed "Procedure for review of National Planning Framework", the Minister is required to make provision for public consultation. We accept that. A list of those who would be consulted is included in the section. It includes Members of the Oireachtas and regional assemblies. We suggest that the wording "board members of Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge, the Minister responsible for the Gaeltacht and Language Planning Officers,” a…

Níl a fhios agam ar thuig an tAire cad go díreach a bhí á rá agam mar ní dhéileálann an leasú a bhí mé ag caint faoi le leathanach 66 in aon chor. Is le leathanach 67 a dhéileálann leasú Uimh. 182. Regarding the procedure for the review of the national planning framework, before carrying out a review under section 22 the Minister shall publish a notice of the Government's intention to do so. The Minister shall also make provision for public consultation in the review of the national planning framework, including ar…

I have some comments on this grouping. I have spoken on all of the other groupings as well because I have submitted quite a lot of amendments that deal with the Irish language. These relate to the national planning statement and seek to ensure that, in drawing the statement up, due regard is given to the Irish language and the cultural and linguistic heritage of Gaeltacht areas. I have submitted a number of amendments, which I will speak to. These are Nos. 197 to 199, inclusive, 205, 213 and 218. Some are simple an…

Labhair mé faoi roinnt de na leasuithe atá curtha síos maidir le - mar a dúirt an tAire - ceist an teanga agus ceist na Gaeltachta ach go háirithe, ach rudaí eile dá leithéid freisin. Táimid ag déileáil leis an straitéis eacnamaíochta agus an straitéis réigiúnach agus ag déanamh iarrachta arís, leis na leasuithe atá agam i gCaibidil 3 den Bhille seo, déileáil leis na rudaí céanna. Táimid ag iarraidh cinnte a dhéanamh de i ngach uile Caibidil go bhfuil meas á tabhairt don seoid atá againn ó thaobh ár dteanga náisiún…

I move amendment No. 248: In page 78, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “(iv) any relevant language plans agreed in accordance with the Gaeltacht Act 2012 for a Gaeltacht Language Planning Area, Gaeltacht Service Town or Irish Language Network relevant to the area of the regional spatial and economic strategy,”. I heard the Minister saying that it was not appropriate to insert "Gaeltacht" or these in similar provisions in the regional section and that it would suffice at a later stage where you are …

Is it a cut or not a cut?

They are in this group.

I will try to address some of the issues relating to the Irish language and the Official Languages Act 2003. When the latter came into being, it was agreed that the titles of new State bodies or offices should be in Irish only. I can understand the logic is that the positions held by people within those institutions would also be in Irish only. That is the effect of these amendments. Therefore, it is not the commission; it is an coimisiún. There are references to this throughout. If we look at amendment No. 15, it …

It is part 17. I am sorry; I will have a look at that. One or two of these go beyond just making sure that Irish language titles are used. Amendment No. 17 states that competency in the Irish language would mean level B2. The reason for this is that it falls into being in some of the later amendments. In particular, amendment No. 718 in my name addresses the specifics of an oral hearing in respect of a development in the Gaeltacht in that the person who is the chairperson of that hearing must be competent in the Ir…

The Deputy who raised the issue of translation has managed to escape the Chamber for a few minutes. Maybe he will come back or read on the record that there is nothing in the amendments I proposed that would place an extra burden on Irish speakers in the Gaeltacht - nothing whatsoever. There is already a burden on Irish speakers because they have to do all their business through English in most of the planning systems in the State. There is nothing of an extra burden on English speakers either, especially given the…

I move amendment No. 56: In page 42, after line 36, to insert the following: “Report on impact on heritage 7. An Chomhairle Oidhreachta shall, following consultation with experts on heritage, produce a report and submit it before both Houses of the Oireachtas not later than six months following the enactment of this Act, examining the impact of this Act on built and cultural heritage and the consistency of this Act with the Historic and Archaeological Heritage and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, and proposing re…

I am not blaming the Minister; I am outlining what will occur if we use the yardstick of what was promised two years ago, for which we are still waiting. We want to make sure that any report that is needed now will be issued. In this case, the timeframe is six months. The measure would force whatever Government that comes into being in the next while to act on the report or suffer the consequences.

Beidh an fhadhb ann arís agus tá sé ann cheana féin ach an fhadhb atá leis na hAirbnbs agus an reachtaíocht atá chun teacht ná áit atá daoine ina gcónaí i gceantair Ghaeltachta i mbliana, go mbeidh orthu na tithe atá ar cíos acu don chuid is mó den gheimhreadh, don fhómhar agus don earrach a fhágáil mar go mbeidh na tithe sin ar cíos – cíos gairid nó short-terms lets Airbnb - le linn an tsamhraidh arís. Tá samhradh eile caillte nuair a bheidh ar dhaoine bogadh amach as na tithe. Is teaghlaigh atá i gceist don chuid…