asked the Minister for Finance if any change regarding the Irish language requirement in the Civil Service and the public service generally is contemplated.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Language Requirement.
34.
The Irish requirements relating to the Civil Service are under active consideration and are the subject of discussions with staff interests under the scheme of concilation and arbitration for the Civil Service. The position in relation to other areas of the public service in respect of which I have direct responsibility will be reviewed in the light of the outcome of that consideration.
Is the Minister aware that a colleague of his. a Parliamentary Secretary, and at least two members of his party have given the impression that this has already been changed?
I do not know what misinterpretatiton the Deputy may have applied to any statements there may have been from this side of the House, but he would be quite wrong in assuming that any decision has yet been taken. The matter is under discussion with the staff interests concerned and it is most undesirable that any interpretation should be put by anybody as to what the ultimate policy may be.
The Minister obviously cannot blame me if members of his party give this impression. Would he suggest to them that they should not say anything until the decision is made?
I do not blame the Deputy for anything when I know he has no control over the situation.
The Minister states the matter is under consideration. Might I ask him has he in mind (1) increasing the requirements or (2) abolishing the requirements completely? Which of these two intentions has he got?
The Minister has no specific intentions whatsoever in mind. What he is concerned with is arriving at a policy in conformity with the anxiety of the Government to promote Irish through enthusiasm for Irish and acceptable to people already employed in the public sector.
Might I ask the Minister if. in the Government's consideration of this question it will be taken into account that a requirement of the public service is that it should be in a position to do business with people cither in Irish or in English and that the failure to achieve that objective will be an infringement of the civil rights of persons who wish to do business in either language?
The Deputy, and everyone else, may rest assured that the Government wiil ensure that people who wish to conduct business with any office in the public sector will be able to do so in either of the official languages.