I propose to take Questions Nos. 573 and 574 together.
There are currently 513 staff, including temporary staff, in my Department and I anticipate this will increase to 514 by year end. 80 staff have been recruited in to my Department this year, in the main to fill vacancies arising from transfers, retirements, etc. There is one post which requires competence in the Irish language and that is the Irish Language Officer post. There are a number of people in my Department who have written and oral fluency in the Irish language outside of this post. They provide a service through Irish on a voluntary basis alone.
My Department has committed within its 2017-2020 Irish Language Scheme to, by the end of year one of the scheme, identify if any posts for which Irish language competency is an essential requirement. Every effort will be made to fulfill these requirements by the end of this scheme having regard to recruitment, promotion and training policies, as appropriate. This will enable this Department to plan and prioritise the incremental improvement of services in Irish in a more strategic manner. This will be reviewed on an annual basis.
Tá foireann 513 in mo Roinn faoi láthair, foireann shealadach san áireamh, agus tá súil agam go méadóidh an líon seo go 514 faoi dheireadh na bliana. Earcaíodh 80 ball foirne ar mo Roinn i mbliana, go príomha le folúntais a líonadh a eascraíonn as aistrithe, scor, etc. Is é post an Oifigigh Gaeilge an t-aon phost amháin i mo Roinn a éilíonn inniúlacht sa Ghaeilge. Tá roinnt ball foirne sa Roinn atá líofa i scríobh agus labhairt na Gaeilge taobh amuigh den phost seo. Cuireann siad seirbhís trí Ghaeilge ar fáil ar bhonn deonach amháin.
Tá mo Roinn tiomanta do phoist a aithint a éilionn sa Ghaeilge, faoi dheireadh na chéad bhliana dá Scéim Teanga Gaeilge 2017-2010. Déanfar gach iarracht na riachtanais seo a chomhlíonadh faoi dheireadh na scéime seo, ag féachaint do chúrsaí eacraíochta, arduithe céime agus do pholasaithe oiliúna, mar is cuí. Cuirfidh sé seo ar chumas na Roinne feabhsú incriminteach a gcuid seirbhísí Gaeilge a phleanáil agus a chur chun tosaíochta ar bhealach níos straitéisí. Déanfar athbhreithniú air seo ar bhonn bliantúil.
