Council’s Irish Office wins coveted new gradam ‘TEG’

DURING Oireachtas na Samhna 2017 in Killarney, Maynooth University presented Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge Irish Language (TEG) certificates to successful candidates from Kerry who recently undertook oral exams.

At the same event, a newly established award, Gradam TEG, was presented to Kerry County Council’s Irish Language Office in recognition of the work that the organisation has done in developing and promoting the use of Irish in the workplace and throughout the county.

For the past ten years, Ker- ry County Council has been using TEG proficiency exams to enable its staff to acquire the Irish language through a systematic assessment-based approach. The Council’s Irish Language Office, under the direction of its Irish Language Officer, Roibeard Ó hEartáin, endeavour to provide high quality services to the community.

The Council offers services such as planning queries, motor tax renewals, and voter registration through the medium of Irish. “It’s a great honour to be presented with Gradam TEG 2017 by Maynooth University. We are happy and proud to receive such recognition. I would like to thank the University for supporting the work of the Irish Language Development Office and the organisation in general throughout the years,” Roibeard said.

TEG provides a series of general Irish language proficiency examinations and qualifications for adult learners of Irish who engage with the language at various levels including complete beginners, those who are returning to the learning of Irish, and those who already have a high standard of Irish.

Successful candidates as well as representatives from Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Centre for Irish Language (Maynooth University), and Kerry County Council.