Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for this question. The Official Languages Act (Amendment) 2021 introduced a new system of language standards that will require adjustments across the public service. The Act brings forward a number of changes to Departments' obligations with regard to the Irish language and will see the imposition - that is a negative word - it will see the requirement to respond to an enhanced set of rules. Specific details of how these language standards, including the newly established competence levels, will be implemented are currently awaited, prior to taking forward work on the establishment of a new language scheme for my Department. It is a process I presume other Departments will also go through.

In this regard, I understand that my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, established the Irish Language Services Advisory Committee in June 2022 in line with the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021. A wide range of stakeholders are represented on this statutory committee, including the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the Public Appointments Service, which our recruits come through. I am advised that the committee’s primary focus for its initial two years will be the preparation of the first national plan for Irish language services, which is due to be completed by 19 June 2024. As part of this work, the committee is also considering approaches to the future recruitment of Irish speakers. This work will be important in supporting Departments, such as mine, to meet their statutory obligations. My Department does not hold a recruitment licence and all recruitment is conducted by means of the Public Appointments Service so getting it right centrally is key to success across Departments.

With regard to educational initiatives, the advanced Irish language skills initiative, funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, is intended to ensure the availability of qualified persons with Irish language skills to meet recruitment needs in Ireland and the EU. It supports a range of specialised third level Irish language courses in areas such as translation, interpreting and law, with eight courses now available in five different institutions, which is key. There are a lot of job opportunities here and in the EU. A broad range of courses are available in Irish in higher education institutions, with student returns statistics showing 106 courses available in higher education in Irish with 2,510 enrolments in the past academic year.

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