Vol. 484 No. 3
289 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the reason Parliamentary Questions that are asked in English are not replied to in English as well as Irish, particularly when it has been requested; and the reason the office of the Minister of State at her Department refuses to translate the replies. [22116/97]
As the Deputy is aware, it has been my policy to deal with Irish speakers in the Gaeltacht as a matter of courtesy through the medium of the Irish language. As indicated to the Deputy previously, I do not have the resources to provide a bilingual service from my office. However, a translation service exists in the Oireachtas which provides a simultaneous translation of replies to parliamentary questions. My office informed the Deputy of same when he requested a translation of replies to three recent parliamentary questions.
In relation to other replies issued to the Deputy in Irish, I understand that my office provided an oral translation subsequently.
