Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 February 2019
235. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress made on implementing all aspects of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 to 2030 that are relevant to her Department and bodies under her remit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8619/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is represented on the Inter-Departmental Group for the Government's 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 and officials are familiar with the objectives of the Strategy.
The Department’s Language Scheme 2015 – 2018, which took effect from 16 March 2015, sets out the Department’s commitments to customer service in Irish and advises of the availability of services through Irish. The Scheme, which was published on the Department’s website, sets out how our services will be improved during the life of the Scheme. This Scheme was developed within the policy context of the '20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030' and has been informed by submissions received from our customers and staff. The Department’s new Scheme 2019-2022, which will come into effect from 26 February 2019, continues to expand on these commitments.
My Department is committed to providing quality services to its customers in either Irish or English as required by the customer and as set out in our Language Scheme 2015 – 2018, Customer Charter and Customer Action Plan 2016 – 2018. In accordance with our obligations under the Official Languages Act (OLA), letters and emails received in Irish are replied to in Irish; headings of stationery are provided in Irish or bilingually; all recorded oral announcements are bilingual; documents setting out public policy proposals, financial statements, annual reports and strategy statements are published bilingually on the Department’s website; signage in Departmental offices is compliant with OLA and Regulations; circulars / mailshots are bilingual; the official place names of Gaeltacht areas are used by the Department.
The following public offices of my Department are located in Gaeltacht areas: Acaill, An Clochán Liath and Beal an Mhuirthead Intreo Centres and An Daingean branch office and all of these offices provide a full service through Irish.
The Department’s web-site, www.welfare.ie, is a critical information service to customers, providing application forms and details of available schemes and services. In addition, notices advising customers of the availability of services through Irish are displayed in all relevant offices.
Staff members who volunteer to provide services through Irish are encouraged and supported by the Department’s Staff Development Unit to attend Irish training courses. Staff are supported on an ongoing basis to complete Certificate in Professional Irish (NFQ levels 3 to 6) with Gaelchultúr. The Department has assessed Irish language training requirements through consultation with managers and staff and arranged for Irish language training for staff. During 2017 and 2018, in-house training was delivered at the regional locations of Athlone, Galway, Roscommon and Longford by Gaelchultúr. Pre-entry language proficiency assessments are provided by Gaelchultúr to ensure staff members are supported to attend the appropriate level.
As part of my Department’s workforce planning process, and in order to deliver on commitments under the Department’s Irish Language Scheme, the Department in consultation with Managers reviews the locations where staff are required to provide a service to customers in Irish. When a post becomes vacant in a location where a functional bi-lingual is required, my Department seeks to have it filled from panels established by the Public Appointments Service. Currently, there are 184 people serving in both Branch Offices and Departmental offices who are available to deliver services through Irish.
The Department’s staff are familiar with their obligations under the Official Language Act and Regulations. In areas where the staff available are unable to deal with a person through Irish, a language interpretive service is offered to the customer. This service, which can be arranged at very short notice, can be provided either by 3-way phone call, or in-person, as required.
The Department has also ensured that the obligations under the Official Languages Act and Language Scheme are brought to the attention of staff at relevant staff training courses including new entrant induction courses and managers training courses. To this end, Irish Language Training is promoted by Staff Development Unit in “Meet & Greet”, “Induction & Orientation”, and “Frontline Customer Service” Training. Obligations under the Official Languages Act are specifically referenced throughout, with emphasis also placed on Departmental interpretation and translation services and language training supports, including Refund of Fees.
My Department has given serious consideration to ensuring that the significant changes in the way the Department will do its business in the future takes account of the preference that some of our customers have to interact with us through Irish.
The government-wide platform MyGovID is a single, secure, online identity and access portal that provides access to a range of government services. To enable the Department’s customers to access personalised and online welfare services the Department has also built a secure, online customer-facing portal called MyWelfare. All services and information within www.MyGovid.ie, www.MyWelfare.ie and www.WelfarePartners.ie are available to customers in both Irish and English. No service can go live without both languages being fully available and functional.
Finally, the Corporate Planning Unit in my Department has specific responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the Official Languages Act 2003 and the Department’s Language Scheme and the Unit acts as liaison with Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga and with the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and provides reports and other information as required.
