Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are constantly evaluating the schemes. Even in the mid-term review today we are looking at where we spend our money. There is a phenomenal budget across a broad spectrum. We are advertising to fill 72 positions for translators and interpreters in Brussels and Strasbourg. We should be honest that it is a challenge but we constantly encourage people to go for these posts. With the amending Bill to the official languages legislation coming up and which we hope to publish this session towards the end of the year, we will look at a 20% recruitment drive for Irish speakers in all Departments and sectors in the public service. A measure will be how many people we get to provide a service to people inside and outside Gaeltachtaí. The ultimate measure of a language is the daily use and whether people use it daily. The census asks that specific question.