The Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Ita Green, has launched Dublin Corporation's first action plan for Irish. Drawn up according to guidelines issued by Bord na Gaeilge, it aims to create a favourable environment for the language in the corporation, to develop and promote its use in the corporation's public services and to promote Irish in the city as a whole.
The plan says citizens have the right to do business with the corporation through Irish or English. To that end, the role of receptionists and switchboard operators is stressed. They will give the corporation's name in Irish and English and should be familiar with basic greetings in the language.
Staff members who can converse in the language will be marked in the internal telephone directory. This, it is hoped, will facilitate those who wish to communicate with the corporation in Irish.
Bilingual forms and leaflets will be made available and all correspondence with the corporation will be answered in the language in which it is received.
Emphasis will be put on training staff and administrators in the language. A coiste stiurtha (steering committee) of both council and staff will be set up to ensure the policy is fully implemented. A working group of staff only will also be set up to support the coiste stiurtha.
All the corporation's departments will be made aware of government policy regarding the use of Irish. In addition, a correction and translation system will be instituted for staff and councillors.
The corporation will undertake to publish reports bilingually as far as possible and to use a "reasonable amount" of Irish if it is not. Road signs, internal signs and public notices should be bilingual, as should invitations, Christmas cards and stationery.