diff --git a/src/fenrir/speechDriver/emacspeakDriver.py b/src/fenrir/speechDriver/emacspeakDriver.py
index 3736c87d..c526b17b 100644
--- a/src/fenrir/speechDriver/emacspeakDriver.py
+++ b/src/fenrir/speechDriver/emacspeakDriver.py
@@ -27,20 +27,26 @@ class driver():
             try:
                 self.server.terminate()
             except Exception as e:
-                self.env['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut('speechDriver:shutdown:self.server.terminate():' + str(e),debug.debugLevel.WARNING)    
+                self.env['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut('speechDriver:shutdown:self.server.terminate():' + str(e),debug.debugLevel.ERROR)    
 
     def speak(self,text, queueable=True):
         if not self._isInitialized:
             return
         if not queueable: 
             self.cancel()
-        self.server.sendline('tts_say ' + '\"' + text.replace('"', '\\\"') +'\"')          
-
+        try:
+            self.server.sendline('tts_say ' + '\"' + text +'\"')   
+            #print(text.replace('"', '\\\"'))      
+            #self.server.sendline('tts_say ' + '\"' + text.replace('"', '\\\"') +'\"') 
+        except Exception as e:
+            self.env['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut('speechDriver:speak:self.server.sendline():' + str(e),debug.debugLevel.ERROR)            
     def cancel(self):
         if not self._isInitialized:
             return
-        self.server.sendline('s')   
-
+        try:
+            self.server.sendline('s')  
+        except Exception as e:
+            self.env['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut('speechDriver:cancel:self.server.sendline():' + str(e),debug.debugLevel.ERROR)   
     def setCallback(self, callback):
         print('SpeechDummyDriver: setCallback')    
 
@@ -59,7 +65,10 @@ class driver():
     def setRate(self, rate):
         if not self._isInitialized:
             return
-        self.server.sendline('tts_set_speech_rate' + str(rate))
+        try:
+            self.server.sendline('tts_set_speech_rate' + str(int(rate * 500)))
+        except Exception as e:
+            self.env['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut('speechDriver:setRate:self.server.sendline():' + str(e),debug.debugLevel.ERROR)  
     def setModule(self, module):
         pass