Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

484. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the way in which his Department and agencies under his remit facilitate persons wishing to engage with their services through the Irish language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21906/21]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

485. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if all forms issued by his Department and agencies under his remit are available in both the Irish and English languages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21924/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 484 and 485 together.

My Department is committed to its obligations under the Official Languages Act and associated legislation.  Section 11 of the Act provides for the preparation by a public body of a scheme, specifying the details of the services it proposes to provide through the official languages.

My Department published its fifth Language Scheme in May 2020.  The Scheme was developed to strengthen the emphasis given to the Irish language in the daily conduct of the Department’s business, taking account of what is reasonably practicable over the next three years. 

The Scheme is available on the Department’s website in the Irish language at and in the English language at .

Customers that wish to engage with the Department through the Irish language will be responded to either in writing or orally, in Irish.  Arrangements have been put in place within the Department to have Irish speakers available for oral communication.  Both in-house and external translators are consulted for all written communication received and responded to in Irish, to ensure that the service provided is of a high quality.

In general, my Department does not receive forms from members of the public but will continue to supply local authorities with circulars and associated forms in a bilingual format, where such documents are used directly by local authority staff to provide services to members of the public.

The ongoing implementation of the language planning process has a statutory footing under the Gaeltacht Act 2012, which is the primary driver in support of the commitment to the achievement of the objectives set out in the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 to 2030.

This is recognised in the National Planning Framework (NPF), which refers to the preparation and implementation of language plans at community level.  Objective 29 of the NPF “supports the implementation of language plans in Gaeltacht Language Planning Areas, Gaeltacht Service Towns and Irish Language Networks”.

Separately, the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended, sets out mandatory objectives for local authorities, which must be addressed in the drafting of their County Development Plan governing local development policies.  Section 10(2) of the Act includes a requirement that, where there is a Gaeltacht area within the planning authority’s territory, the development plan must include provisions and objectives for “the protection of the linguistic and cultural heritage of the Gaeltacht including the promotion of Irish as the community language”.

My Department does not maintain the requested information in respect of the State bodies under its aegis.  These State bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members of the Oireachtas, as set out in the attached table.