In relation to this information, the first part is totally independent. The Central Statistics Office's obligation is to provide accurate data for the State. I hope the Deputy is not impugning its independence and objectivity. In relation to the information on scéim labhairt na Gaeilge, the Deputy will probably be aware that that scheme is administered by Department officials talking to children. Those officials are highly competent, and the results of the scéim labhairt na Gaeilge mirror what the census has told us. It also mirrors what those of us who live in and are familiar with the Gaeltacht know to be the facts from experience.
I have no doubt what the situation is. The terms of the proposed study, were too restrictive. It proposed looking at the effects of my Department's schemes on Irish in the Gaeltacht. However, their effect is totally positive, because my Department operates through Irish. We also know that a large number of Government agencies in the Gaeltacht operate through English, and it would be more to the point to examine the effect they are having on the Gaeltacht rather than examining the effect of my Department's schemes, which is a positive one. It is obvious to those of us in the Gaeltacht that people there ritually deal with my Department in Irish, while they deal with other State agencies through English, as they feel the other agencies do not have a competence to deal with them in Irish. Whether that is true, it is the perception. Pressure is not coming on Irish from my Department's schemes, and examining those schemes is of relative little merit.
In language planning, we must look at the total effect of all influences on the Gaeltacht. We are already at the negotiation stage in the development of language plans for the Gaeltacht. It is unfortunate that this did not happen years ago or during the life of the previous Government, but we are now actively involved in this work. We are drawing up plans and are in negotiation. I hope to make an announcement on this matter in the relatively near future, though I do not know if that will be in one month or six weeks. We are talking about a timeframe to get pilot schemes going. I want to deal with the basic information we have and to deal with the issues recognised as being involved.