Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the action he has taken in regard to the non-renewal by the end of 2008 of the three year language schemes for some 22 State organisations [23842/09]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 68: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the cost in 2008 to his Department in regard to the Official Languages Act 2003 and its implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23861/09]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 68 together.

At the outset, I wish to reiterate that considerable progress has been made to date in the implementation, on a phased basis, of the provisions of the Official Languages Act 2003.

As the Deputy is aware, language schemes constitute the core element of the Act and to date I have confirmed a total of 93 language schemes, which cover 170 public bodies, and were the first language schemes adopted by those bodies. I have also confirmed second, or renewed, language schemes for 2 public bodies. All these schemes are available on the website of An Coimisinéir Teanga at www.coimisineir.ie. My own Department's second scheme is due to be published shortly.

In addition, 29 additional first schemes, as well as 37 second schemes, are currently in preparation and my Department is in discussion with the public bodies concerned. In this context, I should point out that the provisions of the each language scheme confirmed to date remain in force until a new scheme is confirmed.

With regard to the renewal of schemes, I consider this phase to be of particular importance and, accordingly, during 2008 a consultation process was put in place in order to establish priorities for the second round of schemes. The main priority to emerge was the need to seek to raise the level of awareness amongst the Irish-speaking community about the services that are currently available from public bodies under their language schemes. A proposed "active offer of service" approach on the part of public bodies will be a key method of raising such awareness.

Accordingly, it is proposed that each second scheme will provide specific details of how the public body proposes to promote the services it provides, or proposes to provide, through Irish and to make its staff and customers aware of the availability of these services. These steps need not be expensive or elaborate - they might, for example, include placing signs at public counters or reception areas indicating what Irish language services are available and also listing the Irish language services that are available in a prominent location on the body's website.

With regard to the issue of the cost to my Department in 2008 of the implementation of the Act, I wish to remind the Deputy that it has been a long-standing policy of my Department to ensure that customers who wished to conduct their business through Irish or English are facilitated. Accordingly, expenditure on providing services through Irish and English arises from our existing commitments to our customers and is met from our normal administrative budget. It is not possible, therefore, readily to separate out the bilingual or Irish language dimension from the overall cost of running my Department and of its service delivery in 2008 or indeed in any given period.

The Deputy will be aware that Oifig an Choimisinéir Teanga is funded under my Department's Vote. This is a statutory, independent office whose role and functions are provided for in Part 4 of the Official Languages Act. The Office spent a sum of €831,000 in 2008.