asked the Minister for Labour if he is aware that two young men (details supplied) from the Connemara Gaeltacht, County Galway, whose home and school language is exclusively Irish, felt themselves disadvantaged in their interviews for AnCO training schemes, because their suitability interview was not conducted in the Irish language; and the steps he intends to take to end this clear discrimination against young people from the Connemara Gaeltacht seeking training in a new skill.

I have been informed that the two young men in question were given an aptitude test but failed to reach the qualifying mark and therefore did not undergo an interview.

The tests which are now applied to assess the suitability of applicants for participation in AnCO training courses were devised outside this country and are used internationally. There is no Irish version of these tests at present available but I have given instructions that a substitute test in the Irish language should be devised. Discussions on this are proceeding.

I welcome that statement. It seems most unfair that young people whose families persist in using Irish and will not use English should be discriminated against in this way. What is the position about young people of this kind? Will they have to wait until new tests in Irish are ready? Can it be assumed that they failed the aptitude test because of difficulties with the language? From personal knowledge of these boys I can assure the Minister that this is more than likely true. Can they have another go at the aptitude test as soon as possible?

I am not aware of the reasons for their failure in the aptitude test. I do not think it appropriate that AnCO should inform me why any student failed such a test. If the Deputy has a particular belief and if that is the position, there is one possible option open, that is, the Gweedore centre in the Gaeltacht area. I will certainly review the position of what advantage it would be to those young people to have a second chance at an aptitude test in Galway or the Gaeltacht training centre in Gweedore.

Will it be possible for young people in the Connemara Gaeltacht to get bilingual lectures? Is AnCO, as in Galway University, staffed by people who are bilingual?

My information is that there is operating in the Connemara Gaeltacht area a number of mobile training centres. I understand these courses can be given in Irish or English, depending on what the majority in a class opt for.

My question was: in the AnCO course in Galway will there be lectures in Irish for people whose language is exclusively Irish?

The Deputy will appreciate the difficulties there may be for an organisation like AnCO to have two separate courses, one in Irish and one in English. From an overall efficiency point of view the more desirable thing would be to have such a course in one or the other language. In the mobile centres used in the Connemara area this facility is available on a majority basis of the class numbers.

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