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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 8 Dec 1999

Vol. 512 No. 4

Written Answers. - Strategic Management Initiative.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

5 D'fhiafraigh Mr. Sargent den Taoiseach cén plean atá ag an Strategic Management Initiative seirbhís a chur ar fáil do Theachtaí Dála, do státseirbhísigh agus don phobal i gcoitinne as Gaeilge nuair nach bhfuil tagairt ar bith do ghné seo an SMI sa nuachtlitir Link is déanaí, Samhain 1999. [26028/99]

Is í aidhm an Tionscnaimh Bainistíochta Straitéisí (TBS) ná sársheirbhís a chur ar fáil do gach saoránach. Ba ghné thábhachtach í an dátheangachas den Tionscnamh ‘Seirbhís den Scoth', a lainseáladh i mí Bealtaine 1997. De réir Prionsabail na Seirbhíse den Scoth, ba chóir go gcuirfeadh Ranna agus Oifigí Rialtais seirbhísí ar fáil dóibh siúd ar mian leo a gcuid gnó a dhéanamh trí Ghaeilge. Ina dhiaidh sin, i mí Iúil 1998, d'eisigh an Rannóg TBS treoirlínte do Ranna-oifigí maidir le húsáid na Gaeilge i bhfoilseacháin don phobal. Bunaíodh na Treoirlínte seo ar pháipeár de chuid Bhord na Gaeilge dar teideal ‘Leathnú an Dátheangachais: Treoirlínte don Earnáil Phoiblí do Chláracha Gníomhaíochta'. Tá sé mar cheann de Threoirlínte an TBS go mbeadh ar a laghad píosa réasúnta i nGaeilge i gcónaí in ábhar atá le cur faoi bhráid an phobail. D'eisigh an TBS ceithre thuarascáil i 1999, agus bhí an réamhrá i nGaeilge i dtrí cinn acu.

The aim of the Strategic Management Initiative is the delivery of an excellent service to all citizens. The provision of a bilingual service to members of the public has been identified as an important aspect of the SMI's quality customer service initiative, which was launched in 1997. The principles of quality customer service, state that services should be made available for those who wish to do business in Irish. In addition, the SMI division issued guidelines to Departments-offices in July 1998 concerning the use of Irish in publications for the public. These guidelines were based on Bord na Gaeilge's "Expanding Bilingualism – Guidelines for Action Programmes in the State Sector". One of these guidelines is that at least a reasonable amount of Irish should be used in material for the public. The SMI produced four reports in 1999, three of which contained an introduction or executive summary in Irish.

Quality customer service was also a key aspect of the next phase of the SMI, which was launched in Dublin Castle in July 1999. Speaking at that launch, I stated that the new working group, which has been set up to chart a course for the next stage of QCS , would pay particular attention to the needs of specific groups of customers, including users of Irish.

The magazineLink, the newsletter of the SMI, is issued free of charge to all civil servants, to Deputies and Senators, and to public service bodies. Although the July 1999 edition of Link invited contributions in Irish, none was received. However, in line with the guidelines referred to above, every effort will be made to ensure Irish is used in future editions.
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