asked the Minister for Justice if he will state was it under his directions that an officer of the Gárda Síochána whose vernacular is English gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court in Irish which had to be translated by an interpreter, and whether this officer had given evidence before the district justice in the Gaeltacht in the same case at an earlier stage of the proceedings in English.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Court Evidence in Irish.
On 5th December last instructions were issued by the Commissioner to the effect that members of the force who are serving in the all-Irish divisions should henceforth speak Irish only in the courts. The use of English, which is mentioned in the last part of the question, took place before the issue of the instructions referred to above. I should add that, according to the information furnished to me, Irish is the vernacular of the officer to whom the question relates.