asked the Minister for Finance whether there is any foundation for the allegation in a notice which appeared in one of the Dublin newspapers during the past few days that the prominence given in examinations for the administrative class of the Civil Service to a knowledge of Irish has resulted in a neglect by students to enter for these competitions; that the course in Irish is likely to be revised in the near future; that the Civil Service Commissioners have under consideration some modification and alteration of the very high standard of proficiency in Irish hitherto required; and that qualification in the subject is all that will be demanded in future.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - IRISH AND THE CIVIL SERVICE.
My attention has been called to the article referred to in the question. There is no foundation of any kind for the suggestion made in the article as to the position of Irish in the administrative examination. The Civil Service Commissioners have no reason to believe that the fact that Irish is compulsory in part A of the examination has resulted in neglect by students to enter for the competition.
No lowering of the standard required in the subject has taken place, and the Commissioners have no intention of making any change in that direction in the examination for the administrative or any other class in the Civil Service. The only change recently effected in regard to Irish in Civil Service examinations is one which raises the standard of proficiency required from appointees, and no suggestion has been made from any quarter for the lowering of the standards that have been in operation. Irish has been and remains a compulsory subject in all open competitive examinations for the Civil Service.