Teddy bears and puppets rather than any written "scrudú" are means by which inspectors gauge proficiency in Irish for the Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge, the only existing test of fluency among families.
The test is carried out on schoolchildren whose parents will have applied for the annual €260 grant, applicable to those who can prove Irish is used in the home. The first hurdle is self-assessment, in that the application form seeks information on the level of proficiency among parents and children. After that, the children are visited in school, where there will be a chat with the relevant department official.
Mr Uinseann Mac Thómais, stiurthóir for the western region for the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, says there are three basic criteria - the child's background in terms of parental links to the language, the child's spoken competence and conduct in terms of everyday use of Irish. While he admits the procedure can be fairly subjective, "you can tell by the grimace on a child's face if they don't understand what you are saying to them".
Applicants for a range of other Gaeltacht grants may also have to undergo a fluency test while also having the details of the application assessed - such as in the case of essential housing improvements.