Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of principal officers, assistant principal officers and higher executive officers in her Department; the number who can provide a comprehensive service through the medium of the Irish Language. [21719/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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There are 278 officers serving in principal, assistant principal and higher executive officer posts in my Department. As part of the preparation of a three year scheme under section 11 of the Official Languages Act 2003, staff in my Department were surveyed and asked to identify their fluency in the Irish language. An analysis of the survey showed that 13 officers in PO, AP and HEO posts considered themselves to have fluent Irish and to be able to deliver a comprehensive service through Irish. In addition to these 13 officers, there would be others who would have a degree of fluency in the Irish language but who do not consider themselves able to deliver a comprehensive service through Irish. Under section 13 of the Act, public bodies have a duty to ensure that an adequate number of its staff are competent in the Irish language. The Department's scheme under section 11 of the Act will identify how this will be addressed.