Mr. Daithí Ó Caigne:

I do not believe we are waiting per se. The current policy is to recruit to demand via identified skill sets as advised to us and, as it stands today, the figures indicate that we have capacity to fill positions. However, we are not getting people with proficiency in Irish who see the Civil Service as their first career option. We are competing against other career options. Anecdotally, I am aware of individuals in Gaeltacht areas where I holiday, ironically enough, who would see national school teaching as a more viable option in terms of career possibilities. We need to ensure that the Civil Service is seen as an outlet for those with proficiency in Irish to develop their skills and advance their careers. We know that we need to improve the way we market the Civil Service as an entity and there is considerable work going into that. I do not think it is a case of a lack of will.