Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his proposals to ensure that a bilingual culture is embedded in public bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30720/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Official Languages Act 2003 was signed into law in July 2003. The Act is the first piece of legislation to provide a statutory framework for the delivery of improved levels and standards of public services through the Irish language by public bodies. I, as Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, have a general responsibility to ensure such services are made available.

The main objective of the Act will be achieved principally through the statutory obligation on Departments and public bodies to make specific provision for delivery of such services in a coherent and agreed fashion, by means of a statutory planning framework known as a scheme, to be agreed on a three-year renewable basis between the head of the body concerned and the Minister. I have already confirmed a number of such schemes and this process will continue to be rolled out, on a phased basis, by my Department. Some 650 public bodies are covered by the provisions of the Act.

The Act also specifies some basic general provisions of universal applicability, for example, correspondence to be replied to in the official language in which it was written; provision of information to the public in the Irish language, or in the Irish and English languages; bilingual publications of certain key documents; use of Irish in the courts and so forth.

In July 2000, the Government approved the adoption of official languages equality as one of three new principles for quality customer services. This principle specifies that the State sector will provide quality services through Irish and-or bilingually and will inform customers of their right under this principle to choose to be dealt with through one or other of the official languages.

The Deputy will also be aware that Foras na Gaeilge has a statutory role and responsibility in relation to providing advice and assistance to public bodies in respect of delivery of services through the Irish language. Foras na Gaeilge has prepared a substantial amount of resource material for public bodies, including Irish language versions of standard forms and other text. In this regard, An Coiste Téarmaíochta, which comes under the aegis of Foras na Gaeilge, is responsible for term creation and offers authoritative advice in relation to any technical terms not available on the website or in any of the specialist dictionaries.

In addition, my Department is continuing to work with Foras na Gaeilge and other interested parties to put resources and systems in place in relation to priority areas for attention, such as quality assurance of translation services, an accreditation system for Irish language training, specialist Irish language training courses, an electronic database of standard signage and so forth.

Gaeleagras na Seirbhíse Poiblí continues to make a significant contribution to the promotion and development of the Irish language in the Civil Service through the provision, inter alia, of a range of language training courses.