There was enough appalling euro jargon in words like decoupling, Dr Maurice Hayes (Ind) said, but he thought it was absolutely barbaric when they were translated into the first national language as díchúpláil iomlán.
The parliamentary translation department should be asked whether it was not possible to find an existing sensible Irish word which fulfilled the meaning without translating European neologisms.
Dr Hayes was referring to an item listed for debate yesterday - Statements on the Full Decoupling of Direct Payments.
The leader of the Seanad, Mrs Mary O'Rourke, said she agreed that decoupling was a terrible word altogether. "Coupling is not much better, I suppose," she said, to laughter. Asked by an Opposition member if that was an appropriate utterance, Mrs O'Rourke retorted: "I don't change my words."