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Annual Report of the Ombudsman 2004

Chapter 4 - The Official Languages Act 2003

The Official Languages Act 2003

Based on complaints received, my Office has been concerned for many years about the availability of services in Irish from public bodies and about the need to meet adequately the language rights of those who choose to use Irish in their dealings with the public service. Arising from our involvement with these complaints, the Office suggested on several occasions (see, for example, our Annual Reports for 1996 and 1998) that there was a need for a Language Act which would give recognition in statute law to those language rights created under Bunreacht na hÉireann. Accordingly, I very much welcome the enactment of the Official Languages Act 2003 whose provisions are being put into effect on a phased basis since July 2003. The purpose of this Act is to ensure better availability and a higher standard of public services through Irish.

One of the features of the Official Languages Act is a requirement of a public body to draw up and publish a scheme in which it sets out the details of its delivery of services in Irish as well as a timetable for the progressive enhancement of those services. Such schemes, provided for at section 11 of the Act, must be approved by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The Office of the Ombudsman was among the first group of public bodies selected by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to draft schemes in the first round of this process. In September 2004, the Minister asked my Office to submit a draft scheme to him for his approval. The Minister has approved the draft scheme and it will be published shortly, including publication on our Office website.

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