asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state why persons who applied for children's allowances in the Irish language, and who heretofere received their renewal application forms in the national language, are now receiving them from his Department in English.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Allowances Applications in Irish.
I am not aware that persons who applied for children's allowances in Irish are receiving their renewal application forms in English, as it has been the practice in my Department since the inception of the children's allowances scheme to have applications for such allowances which are made in the Irish language dealt with at all stages in Irish, and Irish versions of all the necessary forms are available. If the Deputy will furnish me with particulars of any such cases I shall have inquiries made.
Is the Minister aware that he can be furnished with cases immediately? In actual fact it was my own experience. Is the Minister further aware that there is abroad a feeling that the previous policy has been departed from?
Standing instructions regarding the treatment of applications received in Irish are that all applications received in Irish must be dealt with in all their stages through that language, and particular care is taken that any correspondence received in Irish must also be answered in Irish. In practice it has been found that in many Gaeltacht areas where the application form is submitted by native speakers (particularly in the Donegal district) the details are filled in by the local school teacher and the applicant merely appends his mark. It has subsequently been found necessary in order to bring the case to its final stages that English has had to to used at the request of the applicants.
A sub-section in which the work is performed entirely through Irish exists in the children's allowances branch.