knowledge of Irish compulsory in irish civil service?

ciaobellaciao1 · 24-02-2010 09:21PM #1

Hello. I have a question about the Irish language in the public service. I study abroad and one of my lecturers (not Irish, obviously) said that in Ireland one does not need to know Irish to work as a civil servant. I have a strong feeling that this is untrue. Could anyone more knowledgeable please enlighten me?

Gael · 24-02-2010 09:59PM

This article might clear things up. Check the references at bottom of the article for more details.

ciaobellaciao1 · 24-02-2010 10:49PM

Thank you for the Wikipedia link, but I would prefer to rely on a more authoritative source. Perhaps I will call the Irish Civil Service directly.

MathsManiac · 25-02-2010 12:30AM

I believe that Irish is no longer a requirement. However, I also believe that in most if not all competitions for posts in the civil service, extra credit is awarded for proficiency in Irish.

I suggest that if you want an authoritative response, you should contact the Public Appointments Service. Contact details here:

http://www.publicjobs.ie/publicjobs/en/about/contact.do

Poll Dubh · 25-02-2010 03:36PM

ciaobellaciao1 wrote: »

Thank you for the Wikipedia link, but I would prefer to rely on a more authoritative source. Perhaps I will call the Irish Civil Service directly.

Try using Irish with them on the phone and you'll quickly find out how non-proficient our civil service is in the language.

uch · 26-02-2010 11:04AM

Irish is not compulsary in the Civil service, but it carries extra weight when you are applying, you gain extra scoring points at the interview if you are a competent Irish speaker and take the optional second interview in Irish.This is fact as it's the way I got into the Civil service.

ReefBreak · 04-03-2010 02:43PM

And why should it be compulsory? There is no one in this country that can only speak Irish, but not English. It's handy if you want to deal with those types that call Public Sector phones and insist on speaking Irish just to be awkward, but apart from that there is no reason. Get over it.

uch · 04-03-2010 03:23PM

Get over What ??

anneboleyn · 04-03-2010 03:43PM

IT's definitely not a requirement.. but can get you extra points in an application process . I've just checked this with a friend who is one

maupat · 09-03-2010 11:22AM

"....in Ireland one does not need to know Irish to work as a civil servant. I have a strong feeling that this is untrue. Could anyone more knowledgeable please enlighten me? "

One does not need to know Irish to work in the Civil Service. However, in addition to the general exam which forms part of the open recruitment competition one can take a further text as Gaeilge. You can then choose to do the ensuing interview as Gaeilge. Once you join the civil service chances are you will be placed in a divison where you can use your Irish.

You do not earn extra money for being proficient in the language. The only advantage is that, once in the Civil Service, you can complete another Gaeleagras exam which entitles you to an extra 6% in internal interviews.

Unfortunately both open recruitment competitions and internal interviews for promotion are non-existent in the present economic climate.

Pocaide · 26-03-2010 04:18PM

some of the Older generation in the Gaeltacht's have limited Irish at best should they be not entilted have to have their dealings with the Civil Service in Irish ??

27-03-2010 06:45PM

they can - there will be at least one irish speaker in all sections.

not an official policy but just per stats wise

dlofnep · 27-03-2010 06:49PM

ReefBreak wrote: »

And why should it be compulsory? There is no one in this country that can only speak Irish, but not English. It's handy if you want to deal with those types that call Public Sector phones and insist on speaking Irish just to be awkward, but apart from that there is no reason. Get over it.

Sorry, why must they be awkward if they want to speak Irish? What if Irish is their first language? Why should they be forced to use English?

craoltoir · 29-03-2010 09:23AM

There will always be people in this country who object to Irish speakers using their own language in their own country and insist that since we can all speak english it is good enough for everybody.

knowledge of Irish compulsory in irish civil service?

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