Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps he is taking to ensure that the Irish language is protected and promoted as part of the public service reform plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53484/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Public Service Reform Plan, published in November 2011, places a strong focus on customer service and supporting individuals and businesses where and when they need it most, making their interaction with the State as simple and seamless as possible and improving the customer’s experience in engaging with Government. This also includes support for its customers in dealing with the Public Service through Irish. For example, one of the 12 Guiding Principles of the Quality Customer Service Initiative is to "Provide quality services through Irish and / or bilingually and inform customers of their right to choose to be dealt with through one or other of the official languages".

Primary national responsibility for the Irish language lies with my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. My Department is, however, supporting the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, which recognises the need for the development and strengthening of language awareness and language training programmes so that a higher proportion of Public Service staff are truly functional in Irish and can deliver services in Irish to customers who seek them.

In this regard, my Department has agreed in principle with the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht that they may advance arrangements to facilitate the training and proficiency assessment of staff in the use of the Irish language in the Civil Service and certain areas of the Public Service. It is expected that arrangements to this end will be put in place from early next year.