Athrá ar ‘jóc’ a d’inis sé den chéad uair seacht mbliana ó shin a bhí san aithris ‘mhagúil’ a rinne Greogory Campbell ar fhrása Gaeilge i Stormont inné.
Ar maidin inniu, cuireadh cosc lae ar Campbell labhairt i gComhthionól Stormont mar gheall ar an scigaithris a rinne sé inné ar an abairt ‘Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle’.
Ach d’fhéadfaí cáineadh a dhéanamh ar fhear an DUP chomh maith as a easpa samhlaíochta i mbun ‘maslaí’ nua a chumadh.
Lena cheart a thabhairt dó, is cosúilgo bhfuil athrú beag tagtha le seacht mbliana anuas ar an bhfoghraíocht ‘Ghaeilge’ in insint Campbell.
“Curry my yoghurt can coca coalyer,” a dúirt Campbell le linn na díospóireachta i Stormont inné, ach “Cori my Yogi Bear, a can coca colya” a bhí aige agus é i mbun ‘scigaithrise’ i Meán Fómhair 2007.
“Were I a satirist, I might begin my question to the Minister with the words, ‘Cori my Yogi Bear, a can coca colya,” a dúirt fear an DUP i Stormont i 2007.
Mháigh fear Dhoire inniu chomh maith gur aoir a bhí ar bun aige.
Dúirt sé le BBC Radio Ulster go raibh cion aige ar cheol na hUltaise ach nárbh ionann sin agus a rá gur cheart dó tús a chur le gach ceist “with a few words of Will ye go lassie go?”.
Mhaígh sé go raibh sé bailithe de bheith ag éisteacht le “Irish ad nauseam on hundreds of occasions for no purpose other than a political one”.
Bhí Campbell sásta go raibh feidhm lena scigaithris inné sa mhéid is gur dhírigh sé aird ar an ‘gcur i gcéill’ a bhaineann le Gaeilge a labhairt is cuma cén t-ábhar cainte a bhíonn i gceist.
Agus é ag fógairt an choisc ar Campbell inniu, dúirt Ceann Comhairle an Chomhthionóil, Mitchel McLaughlin:
“The spirit of mockery was blatant and reflects badly upon this House and the deputy Speakers. I am not prepared to allow such a breach of standards to pass without consequence.”
Ní rómholtach a bhí léirmheas McLaughlin ar iarracht Campbell ar an ngreann:
“Be in no doubt, if humour was in the Member’s intention, it failed miserably.”
Dúirt Linda Ervine, oifigeach forbartha Gaeilge in oirthear Bhéal Feirste go raibh idir ‘iontas’ agus ‘díomá’ uirthi mar gheall ar ‘amadántaíocht’ Campbell.
Le linn na díospóireachta i Stormont inné faoin nGaeilge, dúirt an tAire Cultúir Carál Ní Chuilín ó Shinn Féin gur ‘dearg-aineolas’ a bhí taobh thiar de ‘scigaithris’ Campbell.
“If it’s anything to go by, what you just did, we don’t need a strategy for pure ignorance. I think your conduct is not befitting members of this chamber, and it doesn’t warrant an answer,” a dúirt Ní Chuilín.
Dúirt Rosie McCorley, urlabhraí Gaeilge Shinn Féin, gur masla a bhí in iarracht Campbell ar an ngreann
“While this might be funny in Gregory’s little closed world, it is hugely insulting to all of those who promote the huge benefits of endorsing and enhancing bilingualism in our society especially in our children.”
Bhí iompar Campbell ‘náíreach’, dar le Dominic Bradley, urlabhraí Gaeilge an SDLP.
“The main point which Mr Campbell succeeded in making was that of his own narrow and bigoted attitude towards the Irish Language,” a dúirt fear an SDLP.
