Ar an Máirt an 14 Meán Fómhair, labhair ard-rúnaí cúnta Paul MacSweeney os comhair Chomhchoiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus Phobal Labhartha na Gaeilge san Oireachtas.  

Tugadh cuireadh don aontas, cur i láthair a dhéanamh maidir le tuairimí an-eagraíochta Fórsa ar earcaíocht sa tseirbhís phoiblí maidir leis an bhforáil in Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (arna Leasú) a éilíonn go mbeidh 20% d’earcaigh sa tseirbhís phoiblí inniúil sa Ghaeilge faoi 2030. 

Is í an aidhm leis an bhforáil sin a chinntiú go bhfuil teacht ag an bpobal ar sheirbhísí dátheangacha i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla agus go mbeidh an Stát in ann a chuid seirbhísí a chur ar fáil go héifeachtach sa dá theanga. 

Thug Paul le fios, agus é ag caint, go dtacaíonn Fórsa go hiomlán le tionscnaimh a chumasóidh oibrithe úsáid a bhaint as an nGaeilge, go gairmiúil agus go sóisialta araon, ag tagairt do scéim na Gaeltachta do pháistí agus garpháistí na mball agus do na feachtais atá ar siúl maidir le cúrsaí Gaeltachta le haghaidh státseirbhíseach. 

D’iarr sé ar an rialtas plé le haontais ar an mbealach is fearr chun an sprioc earcaíochta 20% a bhaint amach, agus ag tabhairt le fios gur údar imní é nach ndearnadh aon chomhairliúchán le Fórsa agus an Plean Náisiúnta um Sheirbhísí Poiblí Gaeilge á ullmhú, ná an Plean Gníomhaíochta do 2025-2027 ar bhfuiltear ag feithimh air. 

Dúirt sé: “Ba mhaith linn a chinntiú go mbeidh rochtain chothrom agus leordhóthanach ag ár mbaill ar oiliúint. D’fhéadtaí soláthar chúrsaí Gaeilge a bheith san áireamh anseo agus am saor íoctha ó ghnáthdhualgais chun foghlaim agus uasoiliúint sa teanga a éascú chun an inniúlacht riachtanach a bhaint amach.” 

 “Tacaíonn ár mbaill le cur chuige dearfach, dírithe ar réitigh chun úsáid na Gaeilge a mhéadú agus cáilíocht sheirbhísí poiblí as Gaeilge a fheabhsú. Ní cheart go mbainfí an sprioc tábhachtach seo amach agus ár lucht oibre díograiseach tiomanta reatha atá san earnáil phoiblí a bheith thíos leis." 

Chuir sé in iúl gur cheart go mbeadh cleachtais earcaíochta bunaithe ar fhianaise agus ceangailte le héileamh ar sheirbhísí agus nár cheart d’aon bheart eachaíochta srian a chur ar shoghluaisteacht san earnáil phoiblí.  

Mar fhocal scoir, chuir Paul béim ar an ról tábhachtach atá ag earcaíocht san earnáil phoiblí chun troid i gcoinne an chiníochais agus chun éagsúlacht a chur chun cinn, agus é ag rá: “Is timpeallacht a chruthú go réamhghníomhach ina bhféadfaidh gach duine a bheith páirteach inti, atá i gceist le fíorionchuimsitheacht. Tá sé de dhualgas ag an Stát a chinntiú go gcruthófar comhdheiseanna do gach fostaí reatha sa tseirbhís phoiblí agus iad siúd a bheidh ag feidhmiú sa todhchaí chun seirbhísí an stáit a sholáthar go dátheangach, dóibh siúd nach bhfuil taithí ar bith acu ar an teanga san áireamh. 

Is féidir leat aighneacht Fhórsa a léamh ina hiomláine anseo. As Gaeilge. As Béarla. 

Fórsa calls for positive and proactive Irish language targets in public service 

Fórsa has called for a fair and inclusive path to meeting Irish language targets, as assistant general secretary Paul MacSweeney addressed the Oireachtas Irish language committee. 

On Tuesday 14th October 2025, Fórsa assistant general secretary Paul MacSweeney addressed the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Irish language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking community.

The union was invited to present Fórsa’s observations on recruitment in the public service in consideration of the provision in the Official Languages (Amendment) Act which requires 20% of recruits in the public service to have competence in the Irish language by 2030. 

This provision aims to ensure that the public have access to services bilingually through Irish and English and that the State can effectively deliver its services bilingually. 

In his address, Paul outlined that Fórsa fully supports initiatives that will empower workers to use the Irish language, both professionally and socially, highlighting the Gaeltacht scheme for members’ children, and campaigns for Gaeltacht courses for civil and public servants. 

He then called for the government to engage with unions on how best to meet the 20% recruitment target, noting with concern that there was no consultation with Fórsa on either the preparation of the National Plan for Irish Language Public Services, or the awaited Action Plan for 2025-2027. 

He said: “We want to ensure our members have fair and sufficient access to training. This may include the provision of Irish language courses and paid time off from regular duties to facilitate their learning and upskilling in the language to achieve the required competency.” 

 “Our members support a positive, solutions-focused approach to increasing the use of Irish and the quality of Irish language public services. However, achieving this important objective must not come at the expense of our existing, hard-working, committed public sector workforce.” 

He noted that recruitment practices must be evidenced-based and linked to service demand and that any recruitment measures should not limit mobility within the public sector.  

Concluding, Paul underlined the important role public sector recruitment has in combating racism and promoting diversity, saying: “Genuine inclusion is about proactively creating an environment in which everyone can participate. The State has a responsibility to ensure that it creates equal opportunities for all current and future public servants to deliver the services of the State bilingually, including those with no previous experience of the language. 

You can read Fórsa’s full submission here. In Irish. In English.

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