Media Release: Forward step in embedding Irish in Public Sector Systems
Céim chun cinn i neadú na Gaeilge i gCórais na hEarnála Poiblí
- Oscailt oifigiúil déanta ag an Aire Calleary ar chéad chruinniú an Ghrúpa Oibre Teicniúil – bunaithe faoin bPlean Náisiúnta um Sheirbhísí Poiblí Gaeilge
- Beidh ról lárnach ag an ngrúpa seo i neadú na Gaeilge i bhforbairtí teicneolaíochta agus digitiú na seirbhíse poiblí sna blianta amach romhainn
Bhuail an tAire Calleary le hionadaithe den Ghrúpa Oibre Teicniúil atá bunaithe anois faoin bPlean Náisiúnta um Sheirbhísí Poiblí Gaeilge ar maidin. Rinne sé oscailt oifigiúil ar a chéad chruinniú, a tionóladh in Oifigí na Roinne Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta i mBaile Átha Cliath.
Is beart tacúil lárnach a bheidh in obair an ghrúpa seo ó thaobh chur i bhfeidhm rathúil cuid de na gnéithe teicniúla a bheidh ag teacht chun cinn sa bhogadh i dtreo seirbhís phoiblí dhátheangach. I measc obair an ghrúpa beidh a chinntiú go bhfuil córais TFC in ann glacadh le hainmneacha, seoltaí agus teidil i nGaeilge agus go bhfuil an coincheap ‘dátheangach ón tús’ agus an tairiscint ghníomhach neadaithe isteach i bhforbairtí teicneolaíochta. Trí obair an ghrúpa chomh maith beifear ag iarraidh deis a thabhairt d’úsáideoirí a rogha teanga a chlárú agus iad ag éileamh seirbhísí. Tá ionadaíocht leathan ar an ngrúpa, idir Ranna Rialtais agus comhlachtaí poiblí níos leithne, le béim curtha sa bhallraíocht ar chroí-sheirbhísí agus idirghníomhaíocht leis an bpobal.
Ag labhairt inniu dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Tá clár oibre uaillmhianach amach roimh an nGrúpa Oibre seo agus, dá bharr sin, tá leagtha amach anois go dtiocfaidh an Grúpa le chéile uair sa mhí don chéad bhliain chun a chinntiú go bhfuil dlús lena chuid oibre. Feictear go mbeidh roinnt deiseanna ann obair an ghrúpa a cheangal isteach chomh maith le forbairtí digitithe eile trasna na hearnála poiblí, go háirithe i gcomhthéacs spriocanna atá leagtha amach i gCreat Digiteach na hÉireann – Leas a Bhaint as Digitiú agus níos mó agus níos mó seirbhísí poiblí á mbogadh ar líne.
“Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le comhaltaí an ghrúpa, agus leis na Ranna Stáit agus na comhlachtaí poiblí lena mbaineann, as a dtiomantas don ábhar seo. Feictear go mbeidh na hionadaithe seo mar cheannródaithe ó thaobh na forbairtí teicniúla éagsúla Gaeilge seo a neadú isteach ina n-eagraíochtaí féin chomh maith le dea-chleachtas ar an ábhar a roinnt lena chéile agus leis an tseirbhís phoiblí níos leithne. Táim ag tnúth go mór leis an obair a bheidh le teacht chun cinn sa spás seo a fheiceáil agus guím gach rath ar an nGrúpa Oibre leis.”
Is trí obair an Choiste Chomhairligh um Sheirbhísí Gaeilge a aithníodh an gá grúpa oibre teicniúil mar seo a bhunú agus is chuig an gCoiste Comhairleach a bheidh an grúpa ag tuairisciú.
Media Release
Wednesday, 15th October, 2025
Forward step in embedding Irish in Public Sector Systems
- Minister Calleary officially opens the first meeting of the Technical Working Group – established under the National Plan for Irish Language Public Services
- This group will play a central role in embedding the Irish language in technological developments and digitisation of the public services in years to come
This morning, Minister Calleary met representatives of the Technical Working Group which has now been established under the National Plan for Irish Language Public Services. He officially opened their first meeting, which was held in the Offices of the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht in Dublin.
This group’s work will be a central support mechanism to the successful implementation of a number of technical aspects in the move towards a bilingual public service. The group’s work will include ensuring that ICT systems are able to accept names, addresses and titles in the Irish language and that the concept of “bilingual by design” and the active offer will be embedded in technological developments. Through the group’s work, it is intended for users to be given the opportunity to register their language choice when requesting services. There is broad representation on the group, from Government Departments to wider public bodies, with the membership emphasising core services and interaction with the public.
Speaking today, Minister Calleary said:
“This Working Group has an ambitious programme of work ahead of them, and accordingly, they are to meet once a month for the first year to ensure there is momentum behind their work. It is clear that there will be a number of opportunities to tie the group’s work in with other digital developments across the public sector, especially in the context of objectives laid out in Harnessing Digital – Ireland’s Digital Framework, with more and more public services being moved online.
“I would like to thank the members of the Group, and the relevant Departments of State and public bodies, for their dedication to this matter. It is clear that these representatives will be pioneers in embedding these various Irish-language technological developments in their own organisations as well as sharing best practice on the matter with each other and with the broader public service. I look forward to seeing the progress of their work in this space and wish them every success.”
The need for such a technical working group was recognised through the work of the Irish Language Services Advisory Committee, to which the group will be reporting.