Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of plans he has sought under the Official Languages Act 2003 from Departments and State bodies; if there are sufficient Irish speakers within the State service to fully implement all the provisions of the Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22794/04]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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It was remiss of me when I was on my feet on the last occasion not to congratulate the Minister and the Minister of State for holding their positions. I wish them the very best in the time that remains to them in their present positions.

The Minister has sought plans from 25 bodies. The Schedule to the Act listed over 600 bodies. The Minister hopes to have approved plans for these organisations by the end of March 2005. What does the Minister envisage as the timeframe when he refers to long-term? If fluent Irish-speaking staff are required in 600 different organisations in addition to interpreters and translators who will be required if the Minister succeeds in his efforts to have Irish accepted as an official working language of the EU, I worry that there is an over-estimation of the number of people who are available and who will have sufficient fluency in the language to implement the Act.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his good wishes. I agree with him on the points he made. In the context of the Act and the position of the Irish language, I stated in this House during the passage of the Bill that we must be realistic. The available resources must be assessed and we must progress according to what is available. For that reason the plan for my Department is modest because resources are limited. The number of publications requiring translation is limited and has been vastly exaggerated. The Department is aware of the resources issue. It is the responsibility of each body to decide what are the proposals and what would be required to provide a good service.

The Department has chosen 25 bodies, but they have been chosen strategically, either because of their great national importance, such as the Office of the President or the Department of the Taoiseach, or because they service the public in an interactive way, such as the Office of the Revenue Commissioners or the Department of Social and Family Affairs, which deals with everybody, those from the Gaeltacht and the non-Gaeltacht, Irish and English speakers. Bodies have been chosen if they are located in regions, in the case of local authorities and health boards, where there is a Gaeltacht region. The 25 bodies represent a large percentage of the public's interaction with State bodies. The public's interaction with the final 200 or 300 bodies may be much less than those 25 bodies which deal with the public on a significant daily basis. Taxing one's car and dealing with the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Revenue Commissioners are simple tasks everyone in the State does. Ergo we have focused on the bodies with the most interaction with people in the State. When these 25 bodies are in place, we will have made a major impact in terms of services.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I agree with what the Minister said. As a supporter of the Act — I stressed that in my question to him — does he not think it would be a good idea if many of these plans were published only on the web because it is a waste of money in terms of printing and so on? It would be far more efficient if they were bilingual and on the web. If one wants to see them, one can access the web and download them. That would save much money. Much of the criticism comes from the fact that to print plans bilingually costs a lot of money which we would not need to spend if we published them on the web.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I could not agree with the Deputy more. An interesting side-effect of the Act is that people have suddenly become aware of printing costs. We all see beautiful glossy magazines and photographs which cost us a fortune. Many publications are way too comprehensive. In my experience, one gets so much material each week that there is only one place for most of it, that is, in one's little wastepaper basket. That is an issue which concerns us all. As part of the implementation of the Act — it is an issue we will discuss — we must all look at practical ways to save costs on behalf of the State.

However, there are certain fundamentals — this is a point on which I really appreciate Members' support — to which we should adhere. It is a fundamental right of the Irish speakers of this country to get certain basic documents in Irish and to get basic services through Irish. I do not care what that costs, it is a fundamental right. We can make cost savings in other ways so that the net cost is not an unrealistic burden. In my Department's experience — we have totted up the figures and have looked at it from every perspective — if we use the web on which I am very keen, we will find we can implement the Act without any serious impression on the cost base of running the country. However, Irish speakers will still have that fundamental right to which they are entitled in their own country. It will take a little adjustment but we will get there with the minimum fuss.

I have one reservation about publishing everything on the web. When we publish consultation documents and so on, we put them on the web and do not publish them in hard copy. However, in the case of certain documents, we should have a small number of hard copies for people who, unlike us, do not have access to a computer or a facility for printing documents. I use printed copies for such purposes.

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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Before coming to the next question, I find it necessary to draw the attention of the House to the rules governing these questions which provide for supplementary questions and answers not to exceed one minute.

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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I appreciate the Minister's situation in terms of resources. I am sure he accepts the goodwill of the House to make sure the Act is implemented to the greatest extent possible. Is the Minister satisfied that this House is doing all it can? Maybe the issue of the availability of Irish translation in the Visitors Gallery can be taken up with the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. I believe the film in the audio-visual centre is not available as Gaeilge. Next week I will host a very fine school from my constituency, Coláiste Dáibhéid, and these are the basic facilities which should be available.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The question of the services in the House will come up in due course. I do not have a list in front of me but I understand that is one of the bodies that will have to present a plan, although I will have to verify that. The Deputy is correct in that it is vital we give example. It is for that reason I very much welcome that the first list of bodies contains such bodies as the Office of the President, the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Finance. That gives a clear signal that the top layers of Government right up to the top of the Oireachtas — in other words, the Office of the President — are willing to play a full part and to lead by example. That is crucially important in making it clear that this is something being done from the top down and is not just for other organisations, that we will lead it.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 138: To ask the Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cén dul chun cinn atá déanta i leith teorainn na Gaeltachta a athrú. [22789/04]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 141: To ask the Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cé mhéid taighde atá déanta i leith usáid na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht ag an Roinn Gnothaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta nó ar son na Roinne Gnothaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta. [22788/04]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 165: To ask the Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cé na hathruithe atá á bpleanáil aige ar theorainneacha na Gaeltachta. [22898/04]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 138, 141 agus 165 le chéile.

Mar is eol do na Teachtaí, moladh i dtuarascáil Choimisiún na Gaeltachta 2002 go mba chóir staidéar cuimsitheach teangeolaíoch a thionscnamh ar úsáid na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht. Tar éis tairiscintí ina leith a bheith iarrtha agus scrúdaithe ag mo Roinn, d'fhógair mé ar 31 Eanáir 2004 go raibh an conradh chun a leithéid de staidéar á bhronnadh ag mo Roinn ar Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh i gcomhar leis an Institiúid Náisiúnta um Anailís Réigiúnach agus Spásúil, Ollscoil na hÉireann, Má Nuad.

Meastar go dtógfaidh an staidéar — a thosaigh i mí Aibreáin 2004 — dhá bhliain go leith le cur i gcrích. Tá súil agam, mar sin, go mbeidh torthaí críochnúla ar fáil thart ar Mheán Fómhair 2006. Bainfear úsáid as torthaí an staidéir seo mar bhunús chun forbairt theangeolaíoch na Gaeltachta mar cheantar labhartha Gaeilge a threisiú agus chun athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar na limistéir oifigiúla Ghaeltachta, faoi mar a moladh i dtuarascáil an choimisiún. Cuirfear aon mholtaí maidir le hathruithe ar na limistéir faoi bhráid an Rialtais in am tráth.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht an freagra sin a thabhairt don Teach. Nach bhfuil sé so-fheicthe do éinne a théann go dtí na Gaeltachtaí go bhfuil ceantracha áirithe nár cheart Gaeltacht a thabhairt orthu i láthair na huaire? An rud a chuireann imní orm ná go bhfuil an tAire ag rá go mbeimid ag feitheamh go dtí 2006 chun toradh na hoibre ó Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh, a fháil. Idir an dá linn beidh cúrsaí ag dul in olcas an t-am go léir.

Mar a dúirt an tAire cheana, más rud é go bhfuil ceantar lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht mar atá ina dteastaíonn ón bpobal a bheith ainmithe mar Ghaeltacht, tabharfar an seans don cheantar teacht suas chuig caighdeán áirithe Gaeilge agus a bheith ina Ghaeltacht. Tá sé deacair ceantar mar sin a ainmniú ach má tá ceantracha amuigh ansin go dteastódh uathu a bheith ina nGaeltachtaí an d'fhéadfaí iad a mholadh agus seans a thabhairt dóibh an toradh sin a bhaint amach chomh luath agus is féidir?

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Maidir leis an dara cuid den cheist, rinne mé ainailís bunaithe ar dhaonáireamh 1996 ar líon na gcainteoirí laethúil Gaeilge fásta ins na ceantracha taobh amuigh den nGaeltacht. Ní raibh aon áit taobh amuigh den nGaeltacht go raibh níos mó ná 10% den phobal ag labhairt na Gaeilge go laethúil seachas trí toghroinn cheantair a bhí ar imeall na Gaeltachta go raibh cuid den toghroinn cheantar sa nGaeltacht agus an chuid eile taobh amuigh. Mar sin, ní léir go bhfuil aon cheantar i láthair na huaire taobh amuigh den nGaeltacht ar cheart dó bheith ina Ghaeltacht.

Maidir le ceantracha atá san nGaeltacht anois agus go bhféadfaí argóint a dhéanamh nar cheart go mbeidís san nGaeltacht, an fhad is go bhfuil an staidéar teangeolaíochta ar siúl tá dhá rud eile ar bun taobh le taobh leis. Tá go leor scéimeanna nua bunaithe agam leis an nGaeilge a threisiú imeasc an phobail — luaim, mar shampla, cúntóirí teanga, cuairteoirí baile, scéimeanna pleanála pobal teanga agus campaí spóirt — leis an nGaeilge a threisiú. Tá go leor airgid breise ag dul isteach ins na naíonraí Gaeltachta. Mar is eol don Teachta, láinseáladh an feachtas feasachta le gairid. Níl gach rud ina stad an fhad is a bhfuil an staidéar teangeolaíochta ar bun. Táimid ag déanamh rudaí go dearfach.

An dara rud atáimid ag rá go soiléir le pobal na Gaeltachta an fhad is atá an staidéar ar bun, go mbeidh ceist le freagairt ag an bpobal an dteastaíonn uathu fanacht san nGaeltacht nó nach dteastaíonn. Beimid ag déanamh soiléir dóibh má theastaíonn uathu fanacht san nGaeltacht go mbeidh critéir áirid le comhlíonadh. Seachas teacht aniar aduaidh orthu go tobann táimid ag tabhairt réamh-fhógra dhá bhliain dóibh go bhfuil an rud seo ag teacht, céard iad na roghnaithe a bheas le déanamh ag an bpobal, céard iad na critéir a bheas ann agus céard a bheas orthu a dhéanamh amach anseo le fanacht taobh istigh den nGaeltacht.

Mar sin, tá mé ag bogadh ar aghaidh i dtí threo comhthreomhar an an am gcéanna. Is dóigh liom gurb shin an chaoi cheart le tabhairt faoin obair.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Nach bhfuil sé fíor, ó thaobh an daonáirimh is déanaí de, go bhfuil laghdú mór tagtha ar chainteoirí Gaelainne i roinnt dúichí a glaotar Gaeltacht orthu faoi láthair? Ní gá fanacht dhá bhliain chun é sin a shoiléiriú. Ní labhartar Gaeilge i gcuid des na dúichí sin ar chor ar bith.

Molaim an obair atá déanta ag an Aire, ag TG4 agus ag gach duine a oibríonn chun na Gaeilge a chothú, ach an cóir dul ar aghaidh le toghcháin do Údarás na Gaeltachta go dtí go mbeidh an Ghaeltacht socair agus daingean ar feadh deich mbliana? Nach mbeadh sé níos fearr gan dul ar aghaidh leis na toghcháin sin go dtí go mbeidh imill na Gaeltachta socraithe ag an Aire? Má leantar ar aghaidh leis na toghcháin, beidh daoine nach bhfuil Gaeilge á labhairt acu agus nach bhfuil baint dháiríre acu leis an nGaeltacht ag vótáil sna toghcháin. Is rud bunúsach é go dtiocfaidh baill an údaráis ón nGaeltacht.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Tuigim an t-imní atá ar an Teachta. D'fhéadfaí méar a shíneadh i dtreo na Gaillimhe, go mórmhór ar na bruachbhailte thart ar Ghaillimh. Tá mé ag breathnú ar reachtaíocht an údaráis i gcomhthéacs eile ar fad ach ní bheidh sé sin déanta roimh dháta thoghcháin Údarás na Gaeltachta. Beidh cúig bliana caite ag an mbord in oifig ag deireadh na bliana seo. Cheana féin, d'éirigh ball amháin as i ngeall ar chuímse sláinte. Mar sin, creidim go mba cheart dul ar aghaidh leis an toghchán. Dá gcuirfinn an toghchán siar bheifí ag casaoid fúm go raibh faitíos orm go mbuailfeadh Fianna Fáil sa toghchán. Rogha an dá dheabhail atá agam ach tá i gceist agam dul ar aghaidh leis na toghcháin. Má thagann athrú ar theorainn na Gaeltachta, beidh sé sin i bhfeidhm don chéad toghchán eile ina dhiaidh sin.

Is féidir liom a rá, a bheag nó a mhór, gur daoine as croílár na Gaeltachta formhór na mball atá tofa ar Údarás na Gaeltachta mar, go praiticiúil, is iad an pobal labhartha Gaeilge is mó a chuireann spéis ins na toghcháin áirid sin.