Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 December 2020
223. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí sonrú a dhéanamh ar gach post atá sainaitheanta mar phost a bhfuil riachtanas Gaeilge leis ina Roinn faoi láthair, líon na bhfostaithe ina Roinn a bhfuil cumas sa Ghaeilge acu, agus líon iomlán na bhfostaithe ina Roinn. [43889/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMar chuid de phróiseas pleanála mo Roinne maidir lena lucht saothair, tá socair gur fearr a chuirfear seachadadh an ghnó trí mheán na Gaeilge i gcrích más amhlaidh a shaineofar áiteanna a bhfuil riachtanas Gaeilge ag baint leo de rogha ar an nGaeilge a theorannú do phoist áirithe. Tá na hoifigí poiblí seo a leanas lonnaithe i gceantair Ghaeltachta: Ionaid Intreo in Acaill, sa Chlochán Liath agus i mBéal an Mhuirthead agus oifig chraoibhe an Daingin agus tá seirbhís ghutháin agus seirbhís "aghaidh ar aghaidh" á gcur ar fáil trí Ghaeilge sna hoifigí seo go léir.
Tá 190 duine ag fónamh faoi láthair sna hOifigí Craoibhe agus sna hOifigí Roinne araon atá ar fáil chun seirbhísí trí Ghaeilge a sholáthar.
Tá 6766 (6460.57 post coibhéise lánaimseartha) fostaí ag mo Roinn go hiomlán.
Tá rún daingean ag mo Roinn go gcuirfear seirbhís ardchaighdeáin ar fáil dá custaiméirí i nGaeilge nó i mBéarla de réir mar atá ag teastáil ón gcustaiméir, agus tá ár ngealltanais ina thaobh seo leagtha amach inár Scéim Teanga. Tá ár bhfoireann eolach ar a ndualgais faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla agus faoi Rialacháin na dTeangacha Oifigiúla. I dtaca le háiteanna nach mbíonn an fhoireann a bhíonn ar fáil in ann plé le duine trí Ghaeilge, tairgfear seirbhís ateangaireachta don chustaiméir. Is féidir an tseirbhís seo, ar féidir í a shocrú faoi ghearrfhógra, a sholáthar ar mhodh glao gutháin trí bhealach, nó i bpearsain, de réir mar is gá. Tá na seirbhísí digiteacha ardáin go léir agus an t-eolas ar fad laistigh de www.MyGovid.ie www.MyWelfare.ie agus www.WelfarePartners.ie ar fáil dár gcustaiméirí i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla araon. Ní fhéadfaidh aon seirbhís dhigiteach teacht i bhfeidhm gan an dá theanga a bheith ar fáil go hiomlán agus a bheith feidhmiúil go hiomlán.
Thairis sin, tá mo Roinn tiomanta don fhoireann a fhorbairt agus a oiliúint ar bhonn leantach chun éascaíocht a dhéanamh ar sheirbhísí a sholáthar trí Ghaeilge agus tá sí ag leanúint den fhoireann a spreagadh agus a éascú le leas a bhaint as raon na dtacaí agus go háirithe le freastal ar chúrsaí oiliúna sa Ghaeilge.
Déanann mo Roinn faireachán leanúnach ar fhorfheidhmiú Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 agus ar Scéim Teanga na Roinne agus bíonn sí i dteagmháil le hOifig an Choimisinéara Teanga agus leis an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán agus cuireann sí tuarascálacha agus eolas eile ar fáil, de réir mar is gá.
Is deimhin liom go bhfuil dóthain foirne ar fáil faoi láthair chun freastal ar na hiarrataí ar sholáthar sheirbhísí na Roinne trí mheán na Gaeilge.
Answer
As part of my Department’s workforce planning process, it has been concluded that the delivery of business through Irish is best serviced by designating locations where there is an Irish language requirement rather than confining it to particular posts. 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 telephone and face to face service through Irish.
Currently, there are 190 people serving in both Branch Offices and Departmental offices who are available to deliver services through Irish.
My department currently has a total of 6766 (6460.57 FTE) employees.
My Department is committed to providing quality services to its customers in either Irish or English as required by the customer and our commitments in this regard are set out in our Language Scheme. Our 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. All digital platform services and information within www.MyGovid.ie, www.MyWelfare.ie and www.WelfarePartners.ie is available to our customers in both Irish and English. No digital service can go live without both languages being fully available and functional.
In addition, my Department is committed to the continued development and training of staff to facilitate the provision of services through Irish and continues to encourage and facilitate staff to avail of the range of supports and in particular to attend Irish training courses.
My Department continuously monitors the implementation of the Official Languages Act 2003 and the Department’s Language Scheme and liaises with Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga and with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and provides reports and other information as required.
I am satisfied that there are sufficient staff currently available to respond to requests for the delivery of the Department’s services through Irish.
