Irish signage laws for State agencies

ALL State agencies will be expected to provide pre-recorded voice messages, stationery and signage in Irish or both English and Irish under new draft regulations.

The proposed changes under the Official Languages Act 2003 will make it compulsory for all State agencies to include a degree of Irish in signs outside their buildings, announcements transmitted by telephone and on public address systems. In addition, notepaper, compliment slips and facsimile cover sheets must be in the Irish language or both English and Irish, with the Irish language appearing first and given the same prominence as the English language.

The proposed changes follows last week’s decision by Kerry county councillors to make an application for a Government order to change the placename of An Daingean in Co Kerry to the bilingual Dingle Daingean Uí Chúis.