Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

Last Thursday morning I had the privilege of launching the first language scheme in my Department and formally launching the preparation of three-year schemes by 25 other public bodies, details of which are set out in a table which I propose to circulate in the Official Report. I anticipate that each of these will have finalised schemes before the end of March 2005.

I am satisfied that sufficient resources of staff with the appropriate skills, and of good will, which is as critical a resource in this work as money, are available within each of these public bodies to prepare substantial schemes which will see a worthwhile improvement in the availability and quality of public services through Irish. My officials have informed me that they have met a positive and enthusiastic response to this challenge in each of these 25 bodies.

I reiterate a point I have made on a number of occasions, that the implementation of the Official Languages Act is a long-term project which poses real challenges for the public service. Not everything can be achieved quickly. My intention is to achieve sustained improvement in the delivery of public services through Irish over the lifetime of perhaps several successive rounds of schemes. The detail of each individual scheme will be framed by the public body concerned in the context both of the resources available to it and the demand from the public for services through Irish.

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