Submission of Conradh na Gaeilge on DkIT’s Scéim Teanga

Introduction

Conradh na Gaeilge is the democratic forum of the Irish-speaking public and the organisation works on behalf of the language throughout Ireland and around the world.

Since it was founded on 31 July 1893, members of Conradh have been actively promoting Irish in every aspect of life in the country, from legal affairs and education to the development of communications media and Irish services. This big organisation awakens the people of Ireland, it gives us a fresh understanding of our valuable heritage and it cultivates our respect for Gaelic culture.

More information about the work of Conradh is available on

Submission

The commitment to Quality Customer Service, as part of the Public Service Modernisation Process, demands a special commitment from public bodies towards continuous improvement in standards of customer care, of services and of consultation with customers towards this end. As a starting point in DkIT’s Scheme there is a need for wide consultation that includes customer surveys, regular focus groups etc.

Conradh na Gaeilge praises the developments done by DkIT in the first scheme and recommends to develop them further, as follows:

  • Half the newsletter to be bilingual
  • To ensure identity cards are bilingual every year
  • To increase number of press releases to 100% by the end of the scheme
  • To complete the website bilingually and to promote Irish on social media
  • To appoint a full-time Irish Language Officer

Recommendations

1. Common Template

Recommend using a template for the scheme in common with other schemes under the Act so that every state organisation has schemes with the same layout. It will be clearer to the customer what services in Irish are available across all state organisations.

2. Recommend comprehensive account in Summary of Organisation’s Services and Activities on:

  • Services in Irish available before the first scheme came into effect
  • How these services were expanded during the operation of the first scheme
  • How these services will be gradually further expanded now in the second scheme

3. Positive offer and cultivation of demand

1.It is not enough for Public/State Bodies to cater for demand for services in Irish. There is always an obligation on the State to cultivate demand for services in Irish.

2.It is necessary that the public in the IT knows that services in Irish are being offered by the organisation, that these services are clearly written down and that the public are truly welcome to use these services.

3.It should be ensured that all physical evidence in the organisation, especially in the public offices, confirms that it is a bilingual workplace.

4.In this way a positive offer is given with the aim of making the customer feel comfortable in looking for services in Irish.

4. Publications

We welcome the efforts made by DkIT to bilingually provide information on the background, current services, plans and other areas of information about the college, including the annual report.

1.Regarding forms, signage, pre-recorded phone announcements and press notices, we recommend all of them to be bilingual without exception.

2.This information should be provided simultaneously, the two languages side by side inside one cover, without the need for any extra effort to find the information in Irish over finding it in English. It is important to make Irish more visible to indicate that Irish is welcome in DkIT’s business.

3.Regarding press releases, we demand that 100% of DkIT’s press releases be provided bilingually by the end of the scheme.

5. Correspondence

That all correspondence will be available in Irish if that is the choice of the citizen and that this be done in a way that doesn’t delay the citizen’s business nor reduce the level of service provided.

Regarding stationery, we recommend a positive offer be given to DkIT’s customers by the statement “Correspondence in Irish is welcome” on the stationery. We recommend ensuring that this is in effect and that it be continued during the second scheme and afterwards.

It is recommended that the organisation’s officers be aware of the specific needs of Irish speakers, people of the Gaeltacht, Gaelscoileanna and Irish language organisations, and to send all correspondence to them in Irish, except if they request it in English.

6. Phone System

The phone system is very important because it is usually the first point of contact of the citizen with the organisation. It is important that every telephonist be able to deal with enquiries from the public in both official languages and that the citizen be informed:

  • That he/she has a choice of languages
  • That Irish is welcome
  • That service in Irish is available of the same standard as in English

It is recommended to give a welcome in Irish and then to give a choice of languages when answering the phone, and to record bilingual messages, or Irish messages if the office is in a Gaeltacht area.

Regarding automated systems, the citizen should be given a choice of languages before any other choice.

7. Email

That the disclaimer on every email sent will be bilingual. It is recommended to have an Irish version of every email address, e.g. to be used and connected to its English equivalent so that every email received goes into just one address. It is important not to delay the business of the citizen if he/she does business in Irish.

8. Website

The website is very important nowadays because it is usually the first source of information of the citizen about DkIT and the usage of Irish on the site shows the attitude of the organisation towards Irish. We welcome the effort to implement bilingualism on the website but more work is needed on the amount of content available in Irish on the site. We make the following recommendations:

  • A home page that has nothing except a choice to enter the Irish or English versions of the site.
  • To place the choice of the Irish version above the choice of the English version on this page to make the Irish choice more visible.
  • To create an Irish version of the site address and not to give priority to English by using for the Irish version.
  • To ensure that accurate Irish is used on the site.
  • To have an Irish version of every press release and to be able to click easily between both versions.
  • To provide speeches on the site in Irish or bilingually.

9. Computer System

It is very important that the computer system be able to handle the use of Irish so that service in Irish can be provided of the same standard as service in English. ‘Gaelspell’, ‘WinGléacht’ or some other Irish spell checker should be part of the computer package in use in the organisation.

10. Ringfencing of Positions

  1. Request for at least one executive/officer nominated with responsibility to provide service in Irish for every section of the organisation that deals with the public, and for publication of the names and contact details (phone, email etc) of those employees.
  2. It should be ensured that the receptionist/switch operator is competent in Irish to effectively handle calls in Irish.
  3. Irish should be recognised as a requirement for the above-mentioned jobs when recruiting staff. The organisation should also provide training, internally or externally, for its employees to cater for the above request.
  4. As the organisation’s scheme is implemented, there will be a gradual increase in the services offered in Irish. It should be ensured that promotion opportunities are available for the people who provide services in Irish, as a recognition of the service they are providing and in order to ensure their expertise in this area for the organisation into the future.

11. Staff Training

  1. Regarding Irish courses for staff, Conradh na Gaeilge has a long-standing background in teaching Irish and we recommend Irish courses from Conradh na Gaeilge that have been adapted for the public sector.
  2. It is important that staff understand the importance of providing bilingual service and that they also receive training on language awareness.
  3. We recommend incentives for staff to take Irish classes, whether within or outside DkIT’s office hours.
  4. We recommend providing a guidebook to every staff member with full information on the language rights of customers and on how to deal professionally and effectively with customers who are requesting service in Irish.
  5. It is necessary that Meitheal na Gaeilge implement a monitoring and review system in DkIT to ensure that service provision is of equal quality in Irish as in English.

12. Staff Recruitment

We recommend working towards employing a higher number of DkIT staff, academic, administrative and service, who are competent to carry out their job duties in Irish and English. Therefore:

  1. Recruitment notices will state that priority will be given to bilingual candidates (Irish/English) who have all other qualifications, but that applications will be accepted also from people without Irish willing to improve their ability to work through Irish.
  2. In a case where there is no applicant with Irish for a particular position in DkIT, the interview will be postponed for 6 weeks, the position will be re-advertised and other appropriate steps will be taken to find and attract applicants with Irish.
  3. A new appointment procedure will be initiated by which a temporary 3-year contract will be offered persons without Irish to enable them learn enough Irish to carry out their job duties in Irish. If such a person passes the Irish competence exam at the end of this 3-year period, the appointment is made permanent. If not, the position is re-advertised without prejudicing the right of the candidate, who failed the Irish competence test, to re-apply and to agree another 3-year temporary contract with DkIT if appropriate.
  4. To give every interviewee a choice of language, whether or not Irish is a specific requirement for the position in question.

13. Public Meetings

Recommend that the organisation’s officers be aware of the specific requirements of Irish speakers and of the Gaeltacht community, especially when organising public meetings.

14. Irish Terminology

Every organisation in the public sector should ensure that the terminology pertaining to their responsibilities are available on focal.ie and acmhainn.ie, and if not currently so, that it would soon be so in future, in order to revive and promote Irish and to spread and further develop it in the community.

15. Legislation

The needs of Irish speakers and of the Gaeltacht community must be taken into account in any legislation that the organisation will prepare.

16. Reporting progress

  1. The progress reports to the Senior Management Group in DkIT should be published in a timely manner.
  2. An annual report on the progress of the implementation of the scheme should be made available to the public and publicised.
  3. Progress under the first scheme should be the reported starting point of the second scheme, demonstrating clearly in this way that the DkIT is working towards improvement in Irish.

17. Publicising the Scheme

  1. We recommend the widespread publicising of the agreed second scheme and that the services currently available in Irish because of the first scheme be advertised as well as the additional services that will be provided under the second scheme.
  2. We recommend that a symbol or statement to show that Irish is welcome, as well as the Irish internet address, should be inserted into every notice published by the organisation so that the public understands that Irish can be used across all sectors of the organisation.