Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021

Amendment of First Schedule to Principal Act

15. The First Schedule to the Principal Act is amended—

(a) in paragraph 1—

(i) by the deletion of subparagraph (4), and

(ii) in subparagraph (5), by the substitution of the following clause for clause (d):

“(d) any other body, organisation or group—

(i) on which functions which relate to the general public or a class of the general public stand conferred by any enactment, or

(ii) which is permitted or required by any licence or authority granted or given under any enactment to perform functions under that or any other enactment which relate to the general public or a class of the general public.”,

(b) in paragraph 2, by the substitution of “clause (d) of paragraph 1(5)” for “clause (b) of paragraph 1(5)”,

(c) in paragraph 3, by the substitution of—

(i) “shall, at least once every 2 years and,” for “may,”, and

(ii) “subparagraph (1) or (2)” for “subparagraph (2)”,

and

(d) by the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph 3:

“3A.In making regulations in respect of a body, organisation or group in accordance with this Schedule, the Minister shall have regard to the purposes of this Act and, in so doing, shall take the following into account:

(a) the level of communication, whether in writing or by electronic mail, by telephone or in person, between the body, organisation or group concerned and the general public or a class of the general public;

(b) the level of communication, whether in writing or by electronic mail, by telephone or in person, between the body, organisation or group concerned and the general public or a class of the general public living in a Gaeltacht area, Gaeltacht Language Planning Area, Gaeltacht Service Town or Irish Language Network.”.