Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 February 2026
33. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will outline a timeframe for the implementation of the national plan for Irish language public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8628/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCentral to Government efforts in the move towards a bilingual public service is the full and successful implementation of the Official Languages Act, 2003. The publication of the National Plan for Irish Language Public Services 2024-2030 under the Act in October 2024 was a significant step forward in this regard.
Overall responsibility for the preparation of this National Plan fell on the Irish Language Services Advisory Committee, which is chaired by my Department and which includes membership at a senior level from a wide range of organisations from across the public service, including the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation; the Department of Social Protection; the Department of Education and Youth; the HSE; the Local Government Management Agency; An Garda Síochána; and publicjobs.
Extensive research was undertaken in preparation of this Plan, with the invaluable results set out therein showing a clear interest in increasing Irish language competency among staff of public bodies and general positivity and good-will towards the language. The National Plan focuses on five major strategic themes in the following areas:
Broad Initiatives and Structural Strengthening;
Provision of Public Services through Irish;
Technology;
Training, Recruitment and Language Competence; and
Data Collection.
These areas are in keeping with other Government reform strategies such as Better Public Services and the Civil Service Renewal 2030 Strategy – with the Civil Service Renewal Strategy containing a specific commitment to the implementation of the aforementioned National Plan.
The National Plan is to be supported by two Action Plans, which will set out the specific actions to be taken under the above themes, within specific timeframes, and will bring us right up to 2030, in parallel with the National Plan. The first of these Plans will cover the period 2026-2028, and was approved by the Government in January following extensive consultation and engagement across Government and beyond.
This first Action Plan focuses largely on developing the support structures needed for future success, with an emphasis on trying many new and varied measures. It sets out a wide range of actions intended to support public bodies as they work towards implementing the National Plan and achieving the Official Languages Act’s overall objectives of increasing the level and quality of services provided through Irish and ensuring they have sufficient staff competent in the language to do so - particularly as it relates to one of the Act's overarching objectives, that 20% recruits to public bodies will be competent in Irish by 31 December 2030.
At a time when the level of good-will and positivity towards the language has never been higher, this ambitious plan sets out the clear and measurable steps to be taken across Government in the years ahead towards achieving a truly bilingual public service, and indeed bilingual society, in line with Programme for Government commitments.
