Tá Scéim na Roinne 2005-2008 faoi Alt 11 d'Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003
Tá Scéim na Roinne 2005-2008 : HTML faoi Alt 11 d'Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 comhlánaithe agus in éifeacht ón 1 Iúil 2005. Agus an scéim á ullmhú, bhí aird ar aighneachtaí a fuarthas i bpróiseas comhairliúcháin phoiblí agus ar threoirlínte na Roinne Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta maidir le hullmhú scéimeanna teanga.
Tá an scéim deimhnithe ag an Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta agus beidh feidhm léi ar feadh tréimhse trí bliana ón dáta sin, nó go mbeidh scéim nua deimhnithe ag an Aire de bhun Ailt 15 den Acht, cibé acu is túisce. Tá eolas bhreise ar Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003
ar fáil ag www.pobail.ie.
The Department's Scheme 2005-2008 in PDF : HTML under Section 11 of the Official Languages Act, 2003 has been completed and is effective from 1 July 2005. The Scheme has been developed taking account of submissions received through the public consultation process and the central guidelines prepared by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on preparation of language schemes.
The Scheme has been confirmed by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and it shall remain in force for a period of three years from this date, or until a new scheme has been confirmed by the Minister pursuant to section 15 of the Act whichever is the earlier. Further details on the Official Languages Act, 2003 is available on www.pobail.ie.
Scéim Teanga-Tuairisc ar na hAighneachtaí Irish Language Scheme-Report on Submissions Received
Bhí fógra ag an Roinn Ealaíon, Spóirt agus Turasóireachta ar 15 Nollaig 2004 ag lorg aighneachtaí de réir Alt 11 d'Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 ó phairtithe leasmhara maidir le hullmhú dréacht-scéime na Roinne. Ba sna nuachtáin seo leanas a bhí an fógra: Irish Times, Irish Independent, Irish Examiner, Foinse agus Lá agus bhí an fógra chomh maith ar shuíomh ghréasáin na Roinne. Ba é an dáta deireannach d'aighneachtaí a bheith faighte ná 21 Eanáir 2005. Seoladh deich n-aighneachtaí go dtí an Roinn agus seo tuairisc orthu sin.
The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, as part of its work in preparing a draft scheme under the Official Languages Act, 2003, published a press advertisement on 15 December 2004 inviting submissions on the draft scheme from the public up to 21 January 2005. The advertisement was in the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Irish Examiner, Foinse and Lá and it was also published on the Department's own website. There was a good response to the advertisement and here is an account of the ten submissions received.
1. Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, 46 Sr. Chill Dara, Baile Átha Cliath 2
Is féidir Aighneacht na Comhdhála a íoslódáil (173kb). Leagan Téacs Amháin (133kb)
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge was established in 1943 and it is the representative body for the voluntary Irish language sector. CNnaG suggests that the Irish content on the website be progressively increased to the stage that it is equal with that of English and that the Department needs to be aware of the influence of tourism on the Gaeltacht and the centrality, as per the Arts Act of 2003, of Irish and the traditional arts in Irish culture. Telephone messages should be bilingual. Telephone receptionists must have a list of Irish speakers for every Division. The Department should organise training for staff to ensure they can respond to phone queries in Irish. The employment, induction and training functions of the Department must in future be informed by its responsibilities under the scheme. The right of staff to use Irish internally in the Department should be facilitated-this suggestion was also included in other submissions. In stationery, the Irish and English text should be of equal size with, as appropriate, the Irish text above or to the left of the English. CNnaG suggest that the style and wording used in Irish language publications should be readily comprehensible to Irish speakers. Fios Feasa, in their submission, made a similar suggestion requesting that jargon be avoided.
In the case of public meetings, the Department must consider the language proficiency of chairpersons and provide interpretation. An electronic version of the Department's scheme must be available on the website and hard copies on request. The existence of the scheme should be publicised with the public being encouraged to make use of it. A monitoring section should be established. The citizen must be made to feel that a service in Irish is willingly provided and that they are in no way being an imposition. In other words, the Department must strive to ensure that the ethos of its staff towards Irish is positive.
2. Coiste Dúiche na Gaillimhe, Conradh na Gaeilge, 45 Sr. Doiminic, Gaillimh
Is féidir Aighneacht an Choiste Dúiche a íoslódáil (93kb). Leagan Téacs Amháin (49kb)
This submission was on behalf of all of the branches of Conradh na Gaeilge in Co Galway. Recommendations with specific timescales are made and the same submission may have been sent to other public bodies drafting a scheme under the Official Languages Act. It is suggested that all forms etc. be fully bilingual within a year with the website being fully bilingual within two years. At the start of the scheme, the telephone receptionist should give the Irish name for the Department first and then give it in English and should also be in a position to forward the call to a fluent Irish speaker. Automated messages should also give priority to Irish. Full account should be taken of the fada in Irish in the computer system and in any online forms. With effect from the introduction of the scheme, the need for Irish should be taken into account in the Department's recruitment policy. Also, at the introduction of the scheme, the Department should satisfy itself that in its offices the image projected by any signs and the attitude of its staff makes it clear that there is a welcome for enquiries in Irish.
3. Glór Bhréifne, An Cabhán, Co. an Chabháin
Is féidir Aighneacht Ghlór Bhréifne a íoslódáil (92kb). Leagan Téacs Amháin (15kb). This submission has five recommendations viz.
(a) Full-time Irish officer or officers need to be appointed,
(b) Use of Irish on signage, stationery and documents to be of the same size as that of English,
(c) All services, documents and forms etc. that are available in English should be available simultaneously in Irish,
(d) The Department's computer system should be able to produce and accept the fada sign and
(e) The Official Languages Act should be regarded as part of the customer services of the Department.
4. Institiúid Léinn, Co Chorcaí
Fuarthas litir ó scoil i gCo Chorcaí inar moladh go mbeadh duine le Gaeilge ag gach rannóg. In this submission from a school in Co. Cork it is recommended that each Division have an officer capable of taking phone calls and discussing its business in Irish.
5. Saoránach (Private Individual), Ráth Chairn, Áth Buí, Co. na Mí
Is féidir an Aighneacht ó Ráth Chairn a íoslódáil (88kb). Leagan Téacs Amháin (28kb). This submission, received in English, can be downloaded. The writer contends that, in the interests of equality, whenever the Department is making a first contact with the public it must make no assumption as to the language of the recipient or target of the notification or advertisement. He contends that the formula affixed to letters/leaflets that "an Irish version of this letter/form.leaflet is available on request" is totally unacceptable in cases when the initial contact is by the Department. In cases of telephone calls to the Department, in the interests of equality, the receptionist should answer "Roinn Ealaíon, Spóirt agus Turasóireachta" and then "Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism."
6. Saoránach, Cill Ruis, Co. an Chláir( Kilrush, Co. Clare)
Is féidir an Aighneacht ó Chill Ruis a íoslódáil (640kb). Leagan Téacs Amháin (17kb).The writer says that live and recorded announcements must be in both languages. It is suggested that a proactive vision must be encouraged throughout the organisation to encourage Irish. He drew attention to the Census of 2002 in which 1.5m people claimed to have Irish and suggests this should encourage the Department to invite the use of Irish.
7. Cumann Aistritheoirí agus Teangairí na hÉireann - Irish Translators' and Interpreters' Association (ITIA)
Is féidir Aighneacht an ITIA a íoslódáil (103kb). Leagan Téacs Amháin (20kb). The ITIA asks that the Department strive to have a positive relationship with translators of the highest qualifications. It adds that many English to Irish translators are members of the ITIA
8 Fios Feasa, comhlacht ríomhaireachta, Corca Dhuibhne, Co Chiarraí
Is féidir Aighneacht Fios Feasa a íoslódáil (98kb) Leagan Téacs Amháin (29kb). Is comhlacht ríomhaireachta Fios Feasa lonnaithe i nGaeltacht Chorca Dhuibhne. Bunaíodh an comhlacht sa bhliain 1997. Fios Feasa is a company based in the Dingle Peninsula. Fios Feasa believe that best international practice has found that the Irish and English content on websites be available separately. Two separate websites should be provided or just a cover page including a choice of language.
The Department should be aware of the State's poor record with regard to services in Irish. In the past it has been believed that the apparatus of the State itself was one of the main forces behind the increased use of English in the Gaeltacht. It is suggested that Irish speakers have often been reluctant to demand a service in Irish given that English was the everyday language of public bodies and they feared getting a lower quality of service.
9. Saoránach, Bóthar Chill Bharróg, BÁC 13 (Dublin 13)
Molann an saoránach seo ina litir gur cóir seirbhís ardchaighdeán Gaeilge a chur ar fáil go fáilteach agus gan deacracht. Moltar go ndéanfaí oiliúint leanúnach sa Ghaeilge a chur ar fáil don bhfoireann. This individual requests a service of high standard from the Department and that Irish speakers and the Gaeltacht be recognised as customers and that the service be given with a positive welcoming attitude. He suggests a dedicated unit should be set up to provide the service and that the website and all forms and reports should be bilingual. He suggests a good service in this case could help the status of Irish in the EU and of the Celtic languages as a whole.
10. Saoránach, Rath Éanna, BÁC 5(Raheny, Dublin 5)
Is féidir an Aighneacht ó Ráth Éanna a íoslódáil (58kb). Leagan Téacs Amháin (12kb).The writer contends that the phone should be answered in Irish and in English The receptionist should have a list of Irish speakers and be able to converse in Irish. Third parties working under contract for the Department must have regard to the scheme-this suggestion is also made by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge who suggest it be included in tendering documents.