Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Health the total cost of translation services by his Department and the agencies operating under his aegis for the years 2010 to 2012 inclusive; if his attention has been drawn to a translation service (details supplied); his opinion on the merits of this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37144/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The total cost of translation services provided to my Department during the period concerned was €59,532. Expenditure on translation services by agencies under my Department's remit is an operational matter for the agencies themselves. In the case of expenditure on translation services for my Department, the majority of expenditure is incurred by the translation of statutory instruments, policy and strategy documents. While every effort is made to keep translation costs to a minimum, the Deputy will appreciate that the translation of statutory instruments in particular, which may be required to give effect to provisions enforceable in law, requires the utmost care and precision to ensure that the intention behind the drafting of the original document is captured in the translation. This may not always be possible using the type of automated software package referred to by the Deputy.