Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

203. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department will engage with all groups within the Gaeltacht in Irish. [47161/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am not clear if the Deputy has particular organisations in mind. My Department is committed to engaging in Irish with all groups and individuals who wish to do so, including those within the Gaeltacht.

My Department's main area of engagement within the Gaeltacht is with regard to the Early Years Sector. I established a subgroup of the Early Years Forum, which includes members from Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta (CNNG), Gaeloideachas, Foras na Gaeilge, Na Naíonraí Gaelacha, the Department of Education and Skills (DES), the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (DCHG), Údarás na Gaeltachta and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA). This group has considered issues relating to the Irish language generally and has fed the outcomes into the wider Early Years Forum. Consideration is now being given to the subgroup’s recommendations.

At a more general level, my Department seeks to comply with its obligations under the Official Languages Act and is currently engaged with the Coimisinéir Teanga in the review of our Scheme under that Act with regard to the implementation of those obligations.