Language report from Coimisinéir Teanga published

An Coimisinéir Teanga (Language Commissioner), Mr Rónán Ó Domhnaill, has published the tenth Annual Report (2013) for his office. The report deals with 775 cases which concerned problems in obtaining state services through Irish last year. Most situations were managed through informal undertakings with the relevant bodies or by providing advice to the complainant, he said. Nonetheless, 13 formal investigations were launched and some public bodies, such as the Department of Education and Skills, were found to be in breach of language legislation.

Mr Ó Domhnaill, who was appointed in March 2014, reported that 98 schemes (statutory language plans) with 184 public bodies were confirmed during 2013. However, 72 of those schemes had come to an end during the year and, in the case of local authorities, 94 per cent of their language schemes had expired.

The commissioner said that the office had “achieved a great deal in the last ten years with regard to protecting the language rights of Irish speakers. In that context I welcome the decision of the Government to reverse the plan to merge the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga with the Office of the Ombudsman; this decision safeguards the independence of the office”.

More than 6,000 complaints about language issues had been dealt with since the role of Coimisinéir Teanga was first established. About 23 per cent of the queries related to Government departments and offices, 32 per cent were concerned with local authorities and the rest with different state organisations.

Mr Ó Domhnaill also said that the post of Director would be advertised soon. “This appointment will greatly enhance our ability to implement the aims of the office in the coming years,” he said.

The full report is available at www.coimisineir.ie