Gardaí are to be instructed on improving their ability to speak a cúpla focal after the Irish language competence of the force was criticised by An Coimisinéir Teanga.

The Irish language has played a central role in shaping our culture.

An investigation has found that eight out of nine gardaí in the Donegal Gaeltacht could not carry out their duties through Irish.

SIGNIFICANT breaches of laws to promote the Irish language were found in school syllabuses and marking schemes, penalty points notification systems and school bus ticketing services, the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga reported yesterday.

AN EFFORT by the Irish language ombudsman to establish if a district judge could speak fluent Irish has been blocked by the Government.

THE number of complaints made to the Irish Language Commissioner increased by almost half in 2006, according to his latest annual report.

ONLY a tiny fraction of administrative staff in the Department of Education are capable of providing services through Irish, according to the annual report of An Coimisinéir Teanga (Language Commissioner).