Official Languages Act 2003
The purpose of the Official Languages Act is to increase in an organised manner over a period of time, thequantity and quality of services provided by public bodies to the public through Irish. The Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga has published a (opens in a new window)guidebook to assist the public regarding their language rights and to provide advice to public bodies regarding their (opens in a new window)duties under the Official Languages Act.
(opens in a new window)Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021
The Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 was signed into law by the President of Ireland on 22 December 2021. This new legislation is a strengthening of the Official Languages Act 2003 and it is widely recognised that it will make a significant contribution to the quality of services in Irish provided to the public by State bodies.
The key objectives of the Act are that:
- 20% of recruits to the public sector will be competent in the Irish language by the end of 2030;
- All public services provided in and for Gaeltacht areas will be provided through Irish;
- All public offices in the Gaeltacht will operate through the medium of Irish; and
- A National Plan for Irish Language Public Services will be developed.
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National Plan for Irish Language Public Services
The National Plan for Irish Language Public Services 2024-2030 is an ambitious and strategic 6-year plan.
It is the first ever Plan of its kind in the history of the State and a central element in the move towards a fully bilingual public service under the Official Languages Acts 2003 and 2021.
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