COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 22, 2014

QUESTION NO. 20

QUESTION: Councillor D. Looney

Chun ceist a chur ar an mBainisteoir faoin stratéis atá ag an Chomhairle Chontae ar forbairt na Gaeilge; chun ról atá ag an Oifigeach Gaeilge a shoiléiriú; cén Coiste Polasaí Strátéiseach a bhaineann leis an Ghaeilge; cén polasaíthe atá ann chun ceisteanna as Gaeilge a fhreagairt ón Comhaireleoirí agus baill den phobail; cén todhchaí a mbeidh ar Seachtain na Gaeilge ÁCT; agus cé atá i gceannais chun nascanna a coimeáid leis an phobail Gaeilge inár Chontae?

To ask the Chief Executive about the strategy the County Council has in relation to the development of Irish; to clarify the role of the Irish Officer; Which SPC relates to the Irish; what are the policies to answer questions from the councillors and members of the public; what is the future of Seachtain na Gaeilge Átha Cliath Theas; and who is responsible to maintain connections with the Irish speaking community within our council?

REPLY:

Is é straitéis Chomhairle Contae Átha Cliath Theas i leith na Gaeilge deimhniú go gcomhlíonfar dualgaisí an Chomhairle atá leagtha amach san Acht um Rialtas Áitiúl, 2001 agus an straitéis atá leagtha amach sa dara Scéim Teanga ón gComhairle a chur i bhfeidhm.

Is é an Coiste um Beartais Straitéiseacha, Ealáíon, Cultúr, Oidhreacht agus Leabharlanna an coiste cuí don Ghaeilge.

Tá polasaí i bhfeidhm aon cheist nó tairiscint as Gaeilge a chuirtear isteach ag Baill Tofa a fhreagairt araon as Béarla agus as Gaeilge. Tá an polsaí céanna i bhfeidhm i leith ceisteanna ón bpobal.

Tá dul chun cinn mór déanta ag Comhairle Contae Átha Cliath Theas ó thús Achta na dTeangacha Oifigiúl 2003, in a measc traenáil foirne i ngach rannóg conas gnó a dhéanamh agus conas freastal ar ár gcustaiméirí trí mhéan na Gaeilge, ceartúchán comharthaí ar fud an chontae, aistriúchán foilseachán corparáideacha agus foirmeacha agus forbairt www.athcliaththeas.ie. I dteannta leis seo cuireann ár Seirbhís Leabharlanna sraith leathan imeachtaí  ar fáil, ina measc, ranganna Gaeilge don phobal agus cur go mór le Seachtain na Gaeilge bhliantúil.

Is toradh é forbairt na seirbhísí seo ar iarrachtaí leanúnacha bainistíochta agus foirne ar fud an eagraíochta agus léiríonn sé tiomantas leanúnach an Chomhairle an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn. Bíodh nach bhfuil sé feiliúnach  trácht a dhéanamh ar chúrsai acmhainní daonna, go háirithe sonraí faoi phost ar leith, ba mhaith liom cinntiú do na baill go gcomhlíonfar gach dualgas i leith úsáid agus cur chun cinn na Gaeilge.

Council Strategy in relation to the Irish Language is to ensure the obligations set out in the Local Government Act 2001 and the Official Languages Acts 2003 are fulfilled and to implement the Council's second Irish Language Scheme. 

The Arts, Culture, Heritage and Libraries SPC is the appropriate one for the Irish language.

The policy is for any question or motion submitted by Elected Members "as Gaeilge" to be answered both in English and Irish. The same policy applies to queries from members of the public.

South Dublin County Council has made significant achievements since the commencement of the Official Language Act 2003, including training of staff across all departments to carry out business and serve our customers through Irish, correction of signage throughout the county, translation of corporate publications and forms and the development of www.athcliaththeas.ie. Alongside this our Library Services provide extensive activities including the provision of Irish language classes to the public and contributes extensively to the annual Seachtain na Gaeilge.

The development of these services is the result of the continued efforts of management and staff across the organisation and reflects the Council's continued commitment to the promotion of the Irish language. While it is not appropriate to comment on human resource matters, in particular the specifics of individual posts, I would like to assure the members that the all statutory obligations in relation to the use and promotion of the Irish Language will continue to be fulfilled.