asked the Minister for Defence whether, in connection with any part of the work of his Department and in any part of the country, an investigation has been carried out, during the last ten years, into the position of the Irish language and its use as a vernacular; and if so, whether he will take steps to make the result of these investigations available to members of the Oireachtas.
Written Answers. - Position of Irish Language.
No special investigation of the kind to which the Deputy refers has been made. In this connection, the Deputy is no doubt already aware of the steps taken towards encouraging the use of the Irish language in the Army, e.g., the establishment of the 1st (Irish-speaking) Infantry Battalion and Irish-speaking units of An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil, the compulsory passing of oral Irish examinations by all cadets prior to commissioning, Press publicity through the medium of Irish in connection with recruiting, etc.
So far as the Department is concerned any communications in Irish are dealt with in Irish and, where possible, internal administrative work is dealt with through the medium of that language.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether, in connection with any part of the work of his Department and in any part of the Country, an investigation has been carried out, during the last ten years, into the position of the Irish language and its use as a vernacular; and if so, whether he will take steps to make the results of these investigations available to members of the Oireachtas.
No general inquiry of the kind mentioned by the Deputy has been carried out by my Department nor is it required as, in accordance with Government policy, every possible encouragement is given to the staff to further the use of Irish both in the course of their official duties and in contact with the public.
There is adequate evidence for the public of the work done for the language by Radio Éireann alone.
asked the Minister for Lands whether, in connection with any part of the work of his Department and in any part of the country, an investigation has been carried out, during the last ten years, into the position of the Irish language and its use as a vernacular, and if so, whether he will take steps to make the result of these investigations available to members of the Oireachtas.
The Gaeltacht services undertaken for the economic benefit of Irish-speaking districts have kept my Department informed in a general way of the position of Irish as a vernacular. No detailed investigation, however, was undertaken by my Department into this subject, during the period in question.