Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as ucht teacht anseo. Tá aiféala orm é a choinneáil ó Shligeach. I apologise for keeping the Minister of State away from Sligo.

I raise an issue that was brought to my attention recently. The Official Languages Act, which has been in place since 2003, places obligations on semi-State bodies and Departments to introduce language schemes to ensure that citizens who wish to conduct business through the medium of Irish can do so. The 650 bodies covered by the Act include larger organisations such as An Garda Síochána, the Revenue Commissioners, Departments, local authorities and so forth and smaller entities such as the Leader companies and the organisation for the registration of co-operatives, etc. The process to be followed is that the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht must write to each of the organisations covered by the Act requesting that it implement a language scheme. Once a scheme has been drawn up by the relevant body, it is submitted to the Department for ratification. Once ratified, the Language Commissioner may then proceed to police the scheme, as it were.

This Official Languages Act is important legislation for those who try to do their work through the medium of Irish. It has become clear, however, that there is a significant deficit in the number of bodies which have implemented a scheme. At this point, the Minister has ratified 95 schemes covering 181 public bodies, which means more than 450 organisations have not yet been asked to submit a draft scheme since 2003. Some of the bodies concerned are large, and include the Health Service Executive, RTE and An Post, with which people interact As Gaeilge on a daily basis, and two Departments, namely, An Roinn Caiteachais Phoiblí agus Athchóirithe agus An Roinn Leanaí agus Gnóthaí Óige Phoiblí.

It has been more than seven years since some organisations were asked to submit a draft scheme. It is shocking to learn that of the 95 schemes ratified to date, 71 are out of date, some for three, four and five years. To summarise the position, of the more than 650 public bodies in the State, 450 have not been asked to draft an Irish language scheme and of the 95 language schemes ratified by the Department, 71 or 75% are out of date. If such disregard were to be shown for any other Act, there would be a national outcry.

Strange as it may seem, the specific issue I raise tonight was brought to my attention by a person who has investments with the National Treasury Management Agency, which falls within the remit of the Act. The individual in question has tried to conduct some business with the NTMA. From what I can discern, the Department has not asked the agency to produce a draft Irish language scheme. When does the Minister intend writing to the NTMA requesting that it draft a scheme? When does he expect such a scheme to be ratified and when will ordinary citizens be able to interact as Gaeilge with this State sponsored body?