Training and Proficiency

The department has put in place a Service Level Agreement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) for the provision of language training proficiency testing for the civil service and certain public service organisations. The purpose of this agreement is to support staff in developing their proficiency in the Irish language and to enhance the capacity of the civil service and other bodies to provide services to the public through Irish. This agreement is particularly important in the context of the Official Languages Act 2003 and the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030.

Under the agreement, the department is responsible for ensuring that the provision of Irish language training programmes and proficiency testing are sufficient to meet organisational requirements. DPER retains overall responsibility for Irish language training and assessment policy in the Civil Service.

A copy of the agreement is available here.