More than 20 people have applied to take over the job of Irish language commissioner when the current holder steps down early, blaming Government inaction.

The Department of Education was among a list of State bodies which breached laws aimed at providing services in the Irish language, it was revealed today.

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

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).

Civil servants who learned Irish to improve their career prospects would have better spent the time at home mowing the lawn, it was claimed today.