Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the cost to his Department and agencies under the aegis of his Department of implementing the Official Languages Act 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22371/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has been included in the first tranche of public bodies required to produce an Irish language scheme under the Official Languages Act 2003. Our scheme, which has been recently approved by the Minister for Community, Rural andGaeltacht Affairs, will take effect from August 2005.

Specific costs incurred by my Department in the implementation of the Act to date amount to €11,277 in respect of the publication of notices under section 13 of the Act. My Department's Estimates for 2005 do not separately identify a cost for implementing the provisions of the Act. Any additional costs arising with translation of material, publication of documents, or advertising, etc. as set out in the Department's scheme will be met from within the overall administrative budget of the Department or the budget for individual projects and programmes.

Prior to the enactment of the legislation, my Department was already making available Irish versions of publications such as the Department's statement of strategy and annual report, and providing replies to correspondence in the language in which it was received. Accordingly, the Act in these areas involves no extra costs for my Department. Any costs incurred by agencies under the aegis of my Department is a matter for those agencies and accordingly details of such costs are not available in my Department.