Can I ask the Minister, the Government-----

I could have placed the question now.

I want to say very clearly in this House that I am a Donegal man and I am not going to accept that people from outside Donegal would take decisions for Donegal. I want to know if this decision was taken by the Government in a back room.

Do not thank me at all.

Cé atá ag dul le glacadh an cheist, an Aire nó an Aire Stáit?

Is ceist fhíorthábhachtach í seo. Níl mé róshásta ach caithfear glacadh leis an Aire atá agamsa anseo anocht. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl as ucht an deis atá agamsa chun an cheist seo faoin A5 a phlé anseo sa Teach mar aon leis an chinneadh a rinne an Breitheamh McAlinden i gcúirt i mBéal Feirste ag tús na seachtaine agus an tionchar atá ag an chinneadh sin ar an togra A5, an bóthar idir Achadh na Cloiche agus an Srath Bán. Ceanglaíonn an bóthar 88 km sin an iarthuaisceart agus Contae Mhuineacháin ag …

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I hope it will not be too long before a meeting is convened between the Tánaiste, the First Minister and respective Ministers. There is only one positive I can take from the judgment, which is that "The shortcomings and shortcuts in the decision making highlighted in this judgment are capable of being remedied". I hope that can be done but this never should have happened and there should have been much more attention to detail. We can be critical of what has happened …

Tá áthas orm deis a bheith agam an cheist seo a phlé. The question I pose tonight about helicopter services in the north west brings me back to an Adjournment Debate in this House in February 1988. I was present that night. The untimely death in February 1988 of John Oglesby from Kincaslough, County Donegal, who died aboard his fishing vessel the Neptune off the Mayo coast, led to a campaign to provide emergency services around the coast. I was Minister of State at the time. The Government of the day; the Taoiseach…

I thank the Minister of State for his reply and I hope it will clear up some of the misunderstandings that may have arisen. Perhaps he will clarify why the temporary HEMS restriction only applies to the Shannon base and the Coast Guard continues to provide a nationwide service. Why is there that differentiation and is it only a temporary measure? Will the Minister of State confirm that Rescue 118 will maintain its 24-hour coverage once it transfers to Bristow Ireland or might it be reduced to a 12-hour service, as …

Sula mbogann an Teachta ar aghaidh, an bhfuil cóip de na leasuithe ar fáil? Is there a copy of the amendments available?

Níl mé iarraidh cur isteach ar an obair, ach ma tá, bheadh sé go maith.

I can go to the Library to get them.

Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Bhille seo ar ais sa Dáil. Tá súil agam go ndéanfar cinnte anois go mbeidh toghchán Údarás na Gaeltachta againn i mbliana, b’fhéidir ar an lá céanna is a bheidh toghchán fá choinne na hUachtaránachta. Ar ndóigh, tá mé féin thart fada go leor agus tá cuimhne agam ar an chéad toghchán d’Údarás na Gaeltachta in 1979. Ba é an t-iarTheachta Dála as Maigh Eo, Donncha Ó Gallchóir, a bhí ina Aire ag an am sin, cosúil leis an Aire reatha arb as Maigh Eo dó fosta. Is cuimhin liom an lá n…

Maidir leis an leasú seo, bhí mise i gcónaí i bhfabhar go mbeadh deis ag comhairleoirí contae seasamh i dtoghcháin Údarás na Gaeltachta. Tá nasc idir obair an chomhairle contae agus obair an údaráis agus ceapaimse go mbeidh sé sin tábhachtach don duine a toghfar. B’fhéidir nach mbeidh suim ar bith acu ann ach ba cheart deis a thabhairt do na daoine sin. Is dóigh go mbeidh sé seo inchreidte ach bhí mise mar bhall den Teach seo, mar bhall den chomhairle contae agus mar Aire Stáit ag an am céanna, agus bhí mé ábalta f…

Déanaim comhghairdeas le hAire na Gaeltachta, an Teachta Calleary, atá ceaptha anois. Ar ndóigh, beidh sé ag coinneáil súil ghéar ar na Gaeltachtaí éagsúla sa tír, ach ní ar na Gaeltachtaí amháin ach ar phobal na Gaeilge tríd an tír. Fáiltím roimh an deis seo labhairt sa díospóireacht seo ar Sheachtain na Gaeilge. Ní seachtain na Gaeilge atá i gceist anois; tá thart ar choicís nó níos mó i gceist. Nuair a bunaíodh Seachtain na Gaeilge in 1902, is Conradh na Gaeilge a bhunaigh é agus tá an-jab déanta aige thar na bl…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht cúpla bomaite dá chuid ama a thabhairt dom chun tacaíocht a thabhairt don reachtaíocht seo atá ag dul tríd na Dála anocht. I welcome the appointment of the additional Ministers of State and, in particular, the appointment of a Minister of State who will have responsibility for fisheries and the marine. This will be the first time since 2011 that we will have such a Minister of State with full delegated authority. Going back too many years ago to 1987, I recall very well when th…