Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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136. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide, in tabular form, the language courses available to the staff of his Department; the number of staff members enrolled in these courses since March 2011 and in what language; if he will further provide in tabular form the language qualifications currently held by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade staff by grade from third secretary upwards by language; if he will also provide the budget allocated from his Department for linguistic improvement courses for his staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50288/13]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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137. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has a strategy to improve the linguistic ability of the staff of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50289/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 137 together.

My Department attaches a high priority to language proficiency and it is regarded as an important skill in an officer’s career development and the conduct of their duties. The objectives of my Department’s approach to language training are: to equip diplomatic officers with the language skills necessary to carry out their duties and responsibilities effectively, to encourage general service staff who do not have a requirement to serve abroad to develop their language skills as part of their overall career development, and to develop the Irish language skills of staff so as to enable the Department to provide high quality services through Irish to the public and comply with the provisions of the Official Languages Act.

Due to the range of issues involved, it is not possible in the time available to provide the information which the Deputy has requested in tabular form from March 2011. Staff of my Department engage in language tuition using a variety of methods which are funded by my Department, including: in-house lunchtime classes, evening classes at the various language institutes undertaken in their own time, on-line courses, self-learning materials (e.g. CDs), degree courses in receipt of Refund of Fees, intensive tuition and immersion courses. Many would also have attended classes at the Civil Service Language Centre, which, as the Deputy will be aware, has now ceased to operate. The method of delivery selected in each case depends on a variety of factors including initial skill level, level required for the conduct of their duties, professional development needs and whether they are going on posting abroad, where a particular priority is accorded.

With regard to individual qualifications, in some cases, staff will be acquiring a language from beginner level and in other cases they will be improving or maintaining existing language skills. While a language qualification is not a requirement for entry, ability to work in a major foreign language such as French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Arabic or Russian is a distinct advantage. After recruitment, all diplomatic staff are expected to develop their language skills and are supported in this by the Training & Development Unit. I can advise the Deputy that tuition across the spectrum of languages is undertaken by the diplomatic staff in my Department in the course of their careers and that in-house lunchtime classes in Arabic, Mandarin, Russian, French, German and Irish are currently provided on a weekly basis and are open to all members of staff.

The annual Training & Development Budget for my Department is normally in the region of €500,000 and, within that budget, approximately €180,000 is usually allocated to the provision of language training for my staff, across the range of deliveries referred to earlier. The level of this investment reflects the high priority which my Department attaches to the development and maintenance of language skills.

I can also assure the Deputy that language training is a key element of the Pre-Post Training process and that new entrants at graduate/Third Secretary level joining my Department early next year who do not have a good working knowledge of a foreign language will be expected to acquire such knowledge. Progress in this area will be assessed during and towards the end of their one year probationary period and satisfactory progress will be a condition of confirmation of their appointment.