Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 258: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the percentage of the staff of his Department able to provide services through Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14184/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department recognises the rights of customers under the Official Languages Act 2003 to be dealt with in Irish if they so wish and every effort is made to ensure that service through Irish is available and of a very high standard. In line with our responsibilities under the Act, staff of front-line areas have been encouraged and facilitated to attend training courses in Irish language usage. In 2004 and 2005 a total of 235 staff from front-line areas attended training courses which varied from week-long courses in Gaeltacht areas to "tailored" in-house courses of six days duration. The training programme for my Department for 2006 includes further Irish training courses and it is planned to continue such courses in the future.

It is not possible to state categorically what percentage of staff is able to provide service in Irish at present. In line with Part 3 of the Official Languages Act, my Department has submitted to the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs a draft scheme setting out the services it provides through English only; the services it provides through Irish only; the services it provides in both languages, and the steps it will adopt to ensure improvement in the service in Irish.