Irish speakers are demanding that all State and State-funded bodies provide an effective and efficient service in Irish. To that end, they have proposed that an Irish language commissioner, with powers similar to the Employment Equality Agency, should be introduced in the proposed Language Act being considered by the Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Mr Eamon O Cuiv.
The suggestion is one of many contained in a discussion document, Towards A Language Act, which was presented by Mr Padraic Mac Donncha, president of the central steering council of Irish-language voluntary organisations, Comhdhail Naisiunta na Gaeilge, to the Minister on Monday.
The purpose of the Irish language commissioner's office would be to regulate and monitor the standard, level and suitability of services in Irish provided by State and State-funded bodies; to measure the effectiveness of public sector bodies in supplying services to Irish speakers and Gaeltacht communities; and to oversee the general running of a Language Act.
It is also proposed that an Irish-language ombudsman be appointed to deal with complaints from Irish-speakers about services provided in Irish from State or State-funded bodies.
The document argues that a Language Act must "amend the relevant legislation" so that linguistic factors are taken into consideration for planning in Gaeltacht regions; that the Gaeltacht be designated as a specific region with its own local authority; and that all local authorities be given a statutory duty towards the language.
The document says that "all attempts by the public sector to provide an acceptable level of service through Irish have failed".
This "failure" has had a knock-on effect whereby other organisations - banks, building societies, the media - do not feel the need to provide services in Irish.
It is therefore "essential", it is argued, that a Language Act be passed which will be "not only an instrument to defend language rights, but as a crucial element of the State's strategy for maintaining Irish as the national language and advancing the position of Irish as a spoken language both inside and outside the Gaeltacht".
