Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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105. To ask the Minister for Defence the percentage of staff in his Department capable of dealing with the public in the Irish language; if training programmes are in place for staff to improve their level of working Irish; the provision there is for other minority languages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38621/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Defence complies fully with the provisions of the Official Language Act, 2003. The Department has limited interaction with the general public and, consequently, has a low demand for services through the medium of the Irish language. As provided for in its current and previous Irish Language Schemes, the Department draws from a pool of personnel which has been established on a voluntary basis to assist the Branches of the Department in providing services through the medium of Irish and to address customer interaction if required.

There are currently seven (7) personnel in the pool who have volunteered to assist with the provision of services through Irish and this has proved adequate to meet the needs arising. The pool of volunteers is kept under ongoing review.

Training is provided on request for Department of Defence personnel wishing to improve their level of working Irish. The option to participate in a joint civil/military Irish Language and Culture training initiative is also open to all staff.