Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 April 2016
63. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den an Tánaiste agus Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí Coimirce Sóisialaí an bhfuil sé mar dhualgas oifigiúil ar bhaill foirne aonair ar leith de chuid a Roinne seirbhís a sholáthar trí Ghaeilge d’aon duine a lorgaíonn í nó an ar bhonn deonach amháin a thoilíonn baill foirne a Roinne seirbhís trí Ghaeilge a sholáthar; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [5845/16]
View answerTá an Roinn tiomanta do sheirbhís ardchaighdeáin do chustaiméirí a sholáthar i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla araon. Bhain éifeacht le Scéim Gaeilge na Roinne 2015-2018 ón 16 Márta 2015 ar aghaidh agus fanfaidh sí i bhfeidhm ar feadh tréimhse trí bliana nó go dtí go ndeimhníonn an tAire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta Scéim nua. Foilsíodh an Scéim seo, ina leagtar amach gealltanais na Roinne maidir le seirbhís do chustaiméirí i nGaeilge agus a chuireann an fháil in iúl atá ar sheirbhísí trí Ghaeilge, ar láithreán gréasáin na Roinne, www.welfare.ie i Márta 2015.
Mar gheall ar an líon mór oifigí Roinne atá ar fud na tíre, ní féidir comhaltaí foirne a bhfuil líofacht dhóthanach acu chun déileáil le custaiméir trí mheán na Gaeilge a bheith ar fáil ag gach tráth i ngach láthair. I ndiaidh suirbhé a dhéanamh ar fud na Roinne in 2015, áfach, luaigh 172 comhalta foirne (2.6% den fhoireann iomlán) go raibh siad toilteanach chun seirbhís a sholáthar do chustaiméirí i nGaeilge ar bhonn deonach. I limistéir nach bhfuil an fhoireann in ann déileáil le duine trí Ghaeilge, cuirtear seirbhís ateangaireachta ar fáil don chustaiméir. Cuireann an tseirbhís seo, ar féidir í a shocrú fiú mura dtugtar ach fógra an-ghearr, ar chumas custaiméirí (tríd an dara sás láimhe nó cluasáin) comhrá a bheith acu leis an bhfoireann trí ateangaire.
Tá na hoifigí poiblí a leanas de chuid na Roinne lonnaithe i gceantair Ghaeltachta: Ionaid Intreo in Acaill, an Clochán Liath agus Béal an Mhuirthead agus oifig bhrainse an Daingin. Is féidir le gach ceann de na hoifigí seo seirbhís dhíreach (seirbhís ar an nguthán / duine ar dhuine) a sholáthar trí Ghaeilge. Tá socruithe á ndéanamh ag mo Roinn faoi láthair chun trí phost fholmha a líonadh óna dteastaíonn comhalta foirne dátheangach a shannadh. Tá athbhreithniú á dhéanamh faoi láthair leis an líon foriomlán poist fheidhmeacha dhátheangacha a dheimhniú a theastaíonn sa Roinn agus déanfar sannacháin chun poist fholmha dhátheangacha a líonadh de réir mar a thagann siad aníos.
Tá an Roinn tiomanta d’fhorbairt agus d’oiliúint leanúnach a chur ar an bhfoireann chun soláthar seirbhísí trí Ghaeilge a éascú. Tá fáil ar réimse tacaíochtaí chun na scileanna agus an mhuinín riachtanach a thabhairt don fhoireann túslíne chun seirbhís ardchaighdeáin do chustaiméirí a sholáthar i nGaeilge ar an nguthán, i litreacha agus i bpearsan. I measc na dtacaíochtaí atá ar fáil, tá cistiú d’fhreastal ar chúrsaí oiliúna Gaeilge; cuirtear acmhainní oiliúna, ar nós dioscaí agus leabhair theanga ar fáil; agus cistiú trí scéim Aisíocaíochta Táillí na Roinne, chun an fhoireann a spreagadh chun tabhairt faoi oideachas Gaeilge lasmuigh d’uaireanta oibre.
The Department of Social Protection is committed to providing a quality customer service in both Irish and English. The Department’s Language Scheme 2015 – 2018 took effect from the 16th March 2015 and will remain in force for a period of 3 years or until a new Scheme has been confirmed by the Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht. This Scheme, which sets out the Department’s commitments to customer service in Irish and advises of the availability of services through Irish, was published on Department’s website www.welfare.ie in March 2015.
Due to the large number of Departmental offices nationwide, it is not possible to have staff members with sufficient fluency to deal with a customer through the medium of Irish available at all times in every location. However, following a Departmental-wide survey in 2015, some 172 staff (2.6% of total staff) stated that they were willing to provide a service to customers in Irish on a voluntary basis. In areas where the staff available are unable to deal with a person through Irish, a language interpretive service is offered to the customer. This service, which can be arranged at very short notice, enables customers (through a 2nd telephone handset or headphones) to have a conversation with staff through a language interpreter.
The following public offices of the Department are located in Gaeltacht areas: Acaill, An Clochán Liath and Beal an Mhuirthead Intreo Centres and An Daingean branch office. All of these offices can currently provide a direct (telephone/ face to face) service through Irish. The Department is currently in the process of arranging to fill three vacant posts which require the assignment of a bilingual staff member. A review is currently under way to determine the overall number of functional bilingual posts that are required in the Department and assignments will be made to fill vacant bilingual posts as they arise.
The Department is committed to the continued development and training of staff to facilitate the provision of services through Irish. A range of supports is available to equip frontline staff with the necessary skills and confidence to deliver a quality customer service in Irish by phone, letter and in person. Supports available include funding for attendance at Irish language training courses; training resources such as language discs and books are made available; and funding through the Department’s Refund of Fees scheme, to encourage staff to pursue Irish Language education outside of work hours.
