S.I. No. 76/1944 - Local Officers (Irish Language) Regulations, 1944.

STATUTORY RULES AND ORDERS. 1944. No. 76.

LOCAL OFFICERS (IRISH LANGUAGE) REGULATIONS, 1944.

DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH.

The Minister for Local Government and Public Health in exercise of the powers conferred on him by paragraphs (g) and (i) of section 19 of the Local Government Act, 1941 , by this his order makes the following regulations, that is to say :—

1. This Order may be cited as the Local Officers (Irish Language) Regulations, 1944.

2. In this Order the expression " the Minister " means the Minister for Local Government and Public Health, the expression " local authority " means a local authority for the purposes of Part II of the Local Government Act, 1941 , the word " office " means an office under a local authority in respect of which the Minister is the appropriate Minister and the expression " the Gaeltacht " means and includes the areas specified in the schedule to this Order.

3.—(1) These regulations shall not apply to any office for which a knowledge of the Irish language is a qualification.

(2) Subject to the exception mentioned in sub-article (1) this order shall apply to any office of a home assistance or sub-sanitary officer and to any other office the annual remuneration of which is or is estimated to be more than forty pounds.

4.—(1) When selecting whether by competitive examination or otherwise a person to be appointed to an office to which these regulations apply, but to which the Act of 19 26 does not apply, a local authority shall give, so far as is reasonably practicable having regard to the requirements of the office, preferences to candidates according to the knowledge of the Irish language which such candidates possess and the ability of the said candidates to perform their duties through the medium of the said language.

(2) In giving in pursuance of this article preferences to the candidates for an appointment and in ascertaining for the purposes of this article the knowledge of the Irish language possessed by the candidates for an appointment a local authority shall comply with any directions issued by the Minister and applicable to the case.

5. Any person who is appointed to an office to which these regulations apply the duties of which are to be performed in or in relation to any part of the Gaeltacht and who at the time of such appointment does not possess a knowledge of the Irish language sufficient to enable him to perform the duties of the said office through the medium of the said language shall cease to hold such office at the expiration of three years from such appointment unless he has theretofore satisfied the Minister that he possesses such a knowledge of the said language.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Local Government and Public Health this Eighteenth day of July, One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-four.

SEÁN MAC ENTEE,

Minister for Local Government and Public Health.

SCHEDULE.

AREAS INCLUDED IN THE GAELTACHT.

ADMINISTRATIVE COUNTY OF CLARE.

Ennis County Electoral Area.

The District Electoral Division of :—

Ruan.

Ennistimon County Electoral Area.