18C. —(1) The Advisory Committee shall —

(a) as soon as may be but not later than 2 years after the establishment day prepare and submit to the Minister for approval a National Plan for the provision of public services through the medium of the Irish language (in this Act referred to as the "National Plan") for a period specified in the National Plan (being not more than 6 years) in order to—

(i) identify services provided by a public body or class of public bodies that are not provided through the medium of the Irish language and in relation to which the Advisory Committee is of the view that a language standard should be prescribed under section 19A(2), and

(ii) specify, for the period to which the National Plan relates, strategies public bodies may employ (including how to make best use of resources available to the bodies) so that services of the public bodies concerned that are not provided through the medium of the Irish language may be so provided,

(b) advise public bodies with respect to how services that are not provided by the bodies through the medium of the Irish language may be so provided, including—

(i) advice with respect to the number and grade of staff who are competent in the Irish language that the body would require to provide such services through the medium of the Irish language,

(ii) having regard to the objective referred to in subsection (3)(b), recommendations as to how to increase the number of staff who are competent in the Irish language, and

(iii) advice as to the level of competence, having regard to the system of standards known as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, required by a person in order for him or her to provide such services through the medium of the Irish language,

(c) conduct, or commission the conduct of, such research as the Advisory Committee deems appropriate in order to carry out its functions under paragraphs (a) and (b), and

(d) every 5 years after the establishment day, carry out and submit to the Minister a survey on the level of competence in the Irish language of staff of public bodies, and such survey shall include the following:

(i) the total number of staff of public bodies who are competent in the Irish language;

(ii) the total number of staff of public bodies who have undertaken an Irish language training course;

(iii) the total number of staff of public bodies who speak the Irish language in the workplace, whether when carrying out their duties or otherwise, and the frequency with which they speak the Irish language.

(2) The Advisory Committee shall prepare each subsequent National Plan not earlier than 6 months, and not later than 3 months, before the expiration of the period specified in the National Plan and section 18D shall apply, with any necessary modifications, in relation to each subsequent National Plan as if any reference, to the National Plan, in that section were a reference to a subsequent National Plan.

(3) The Advisory Committee shall, in performing its functions under this Act, have regard to the following objectives—

(a) increasing the services provided by public bodies through the medium of the Irish language, having particular regard to services provided by public bodies in Gaeltacht Language Planning Areas, Gaeltacht Service Towns and Irish Language Networks, and

(b) increasing the number of staff of public bodies who are competent in the Irish language so that, as soon as practicable after the establishment day, but no later than 31 December 2030, at least 20 per cent of staff recruited to public bodies are so competent.

(4) The Advisory Committee shall have all such powers as are necessary or expedient for the performance of its functions.]