Public Sector
Gaelchultúr has provided Irish language training services to over 90 public sector organisations and local authorities for the past thirteen years. Since 2011, Gaelchultúr has been selected by the state body Foras na Gaeilge to develop and provide Irish language courses for that sector.
Gaelchultúr is committed to promoting the use of Irish and to the development of improved language services to the Irish public. The college recognises the integral role of the Irish language in the public sector and local government and has developed courses to assist organisations in meeting their obligations under the Official Languages Act 2003.
These courses include the Certificate in Professional Irish, half-day training courses aimed at telephone and customer care staff and customised courses specially designed to achieve the goals of a given organisation.
If your workplace is interested in providing Irish language training opportunities for staff, please contact fios@gaelchultur.com
Certificate in Professional Irish
Accredited courses at Levels 2-6 of the National Framework of Qualifications (A1 go C1)
Telephone and Customer Service Training
Course designed for telephone and customer care staff
Giving Speeches in Irish
A half-day course aimed at politicians, CEOs, communications officers and spokespeople working within the civil service
Irish Language Course for Elected Councillors
A specialised language course aimed at enabling councillors to communicate through Irish with the public and their colleagues
Gréasán na Gaeilge
This is a free language initiative that supports public sector employees in fulfilling their Irish language obligations
Customised Courses
Courses designed specifically to serve the needs of the public sector
Certificate in Professional Irish
The Certificate in Professional Irish (CPI) is a part-time programme aimed at public sector employees who deal with the public on a regular basis and who are required to provide a service through Irish from time to time. Those who undertake the CPI have the opportunity to learn specialised language that is closely related to their work and at the same time gain a recognised qualification.
The CPI aims to give participants the confidence and language skills that will enable them to communicate through Irish with the public in a work context and to use the language socially as well. Participants who complete the course are able to provide better customer service through Irish, which supports the organisations in which they work to meet their obligations under the Official Languages Act 2003.
The course is available at five levels: Level 2, Level 3, Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications. These courses are recognised by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
Telephone and Customer Service Training
This course is aimed at telephone and customer care staff, in local authorities and the public sector, who deal with the public on a regular basis and who are required to provide a service through Irish from time to time. This half-day course is provided by Gaelchultúr in conjunction with Foras na Gaeilge.
The aim of the course is to enable participants to provide a quality customer service through Irish. It also aims to build participants’ confidence so that they find it easier to use Irish with the public and will highlight the importance of providing a service through Irish. It is suitable for those who have studied Irish previously (at school, for example) but have not used the language in a good number of years.
This course is delivered four times a year. To book a place one of these courses, simply register on our site. If more than ten people from one organisation are interested in participating in this course, Gaelchultúr would be happy to run the course specifically for the group and to provide a group discount rate. To discuss this option please send an email to fios@gaelchultur.com.
Giving Speeches in Irish
The Irish speaking community has more rights than ever before and organisations around the country are working tirelessly to enhance the services they provide to the public through Irish as a result.
This half-day course aims at enabling participants to acquire authentic, valuable Irish phrases that will be suitable for speeches and visits to various venues where the Irish language is used. Participants will also be taught vocabulary and useful phrases to help them use more Irish in conversations with their colleagues and with the public at community events.
This course is aimed at politicians, senior managers, communications officers, and spokespeople working within the civil service.
Irish Language Course for Elected Councillors
Gaelchultúr has developed a five-week course to enable councillors to communicate through Irish with the public and their colleagues. This course is run by an Irish language expert and involves an hour-long class per week.
The aim of the course is to support participants in acquiring relevant Irish language phrases that they can use when delivering speeches or attending community events. They will also be taught useful phrases and vocabulary that will help them include more Irish in their day-to-day correspondence with colleagues and the public and that will help them to fulfil their obligations under the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021.
In addition to the live online course, participants will be given 6-months access to a comprehensive and interactive learning resource on Gaelchultúr’s e-learning website, www.ranganna.com. This resource caters to the language requirements of council members and contains useful vocabulary and terminology specific to the work carried out by council members.
If more than ten Councillors from one council are interested in participating in this course, Gaelchultúr would be happy to run the course specifically for the group. To discuss this option please send an email to fios@gaelchultur.com.
Gréasán na Gaeilge (Irish Language Network)
Gaelchultúr’s language initiative Gréasán na Gaeilge aims at assisting public sector employees with understanding their language obligations and provides them with information on effective ways to fulfil these requirements.
Network members will benefit from a series of seminars aimed at educating them about relevant events, resources and changes taking place in the Irish-language domain.
Join Gréasán na Gaeilge for free and confirm your place on the next seminar.
Customised Courses
At Gaelchultúr, we understand that the goals, resources, and budgets are not the same in every organisation and that these factors should not prevent you from improving the Irish language skills of your staff. Gaelchultúr makes every effort to cater to all organisations who are committed to promoting the use of Irish regardless of their resources or budget.
If your workplace is interested in running Irish language courses for staff and if the Certificate in Professional Irish or the half-day Telephone Skills and Customer Service course are not suitable, please contact fios@gaelchultur.com, to discuss other options available.