John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 334: To ask the Minister for Finance the expenditure by his Department on providing services through the Irish language in each of the years 2002, 2003 and 2004; and the breakdown of the expenditure under training, translation, advertising, bilingual signage and other. [32470/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The main area of expenditure on the Irish language in my Department is through Gaeleagras na Seirbhíse Poiblí. Gaeleagras was established in the Department in 1971 with the general aim of promoting the Irish language throughout the Civil Service. Gaeleagras continues to make a significant contribution to the promotion and development of the use of Irish in the Civil Service including supporting the implementation of the Official Languages Act 2003.

The allocation to Gaelagreas in the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 was as follows:

2002

Total allocation €188,000 of which

Training: €117,485.49

Translation: €6,223.47

Advertising: €3,641.96

2003

Total allocation €234,000 of which

Training: €217,517.60

Translation: €16,300.90

Advertising: €181.50

2004

Total allocation €238,000 of which

Training: €233,864.57

Translation: €2,762.08

Advertising: €1,373.35

Outside Gaeleagreas, expenditure by the Department on providing services through the Irish language was of the order of €9,233 on advertising in 2003 and €20,000 on external translation, €21,700 on advertising and €3,000 on printing services in 2004.