Written answers

Wednesday, 29 June 2005

Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Irish Language

10:00 pm

Photo of Liz McManusLiz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans to use powers available to him under the Official Languages Act 2003 to require that all official maps carry Irish only versions of place names in the Gaeltacht; his views on whether English versions of many Gaeltacht place names will decline over the next few years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22582/05]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I have made regulations to prescribe the large scale, definitive maps of the State prepared and published by Ordnance Survey Ireland, OSI, for the purposes of section 33 of the Official Languages Act. The effect of these regulations is that only the placename as declared in the Placenames (Ceantair Ghaeltachta) Order 2004 may be used on these maps. I am assured by OSI that tourist maps published by it show both the Irish language placename and the English language version. In addition, two of the main private companies in the map publishing business have indicated to my Department that they will ensure that new tourists maps and other literature to be published by them will also show both language versions henceforth.

I have no current plans to make further regulations of this type. However, I expect that an effect of the Gaeltacht placenames order is that public bodies will move over time to use of the Irish language placename for official purposes. One of the key pressures on the Irish language in Gaeltacht areas arises from the lack of practical recognition of the language in services to customers from many public bodies. The Irish language requires positive efforts to protect its future, particularly in terms of recognition by the public sector of the rights of its customers to use Irish in official dealings with it. This is one small such step, designed to reinforce the status of Irish as the spoken community language in Gaeltacht areas.

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his reaction to the granting of official EU status to the Irish language; if he will back up this achievement with a renewed effort to get people to speak Irish, as opposed to concentrating on its legislative status at home and in Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22586/05]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I regard the achievement of enhanced status for the Irish language in Europe as a significant one for the Irish language. As I have already said publicly, this decision now presents a challenge to the Irish speaking community to use the new status that has been achieved for Irish. It also presents a challenge to the Irish language organisations and educational institutions to ensure that there are enough highly qualified people to meet the requirements of the new status.

The provision of real opportunities for citizens to use Irish in official dealings with public bodies here at home is important to the future development of the language. It cannot and should not be dismissed as merely concentrating on legislative status. The future of Irish depends on its speakers being able to live their lives to the full through the language. Being able to use Irish in official dealings with the State is of critical importance in that regard. The perceived status of the language is not just a question of the legislative position but also relates to the practical recognition afforded in delivery of services and in their communications across public bodies to the language and to its speakers.

If we wish, as the Deputy's question suggests he does, to encourage people to use Irish and to give people opportunities to speak Irish, that cannot be done in a way that is marginal or tokenistic, or separated from the mainstream of public life and public service delivery.

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