The money spent by Caitriona Ruane’s department on translating documents into Irish increased from around £19,000 in 2005-06 and 2006-07 to almost £51,000 in 2007-08.

The figure of £50,983 is the highest expenditure for any local government department on Irish language translation and makes up more than half of the money spend last year on such translations. The department with the closest such budget is Culture, Arts and Leisure, coming in at £22,869.

The figures, which were released in response to a written Assembly question, also reveal that every department headed by a Sinn Fein minister has increased its expenditure on Irish translation.

In contrast, each department led by a DUP minister has dramatically cut the money spent on such translation.

Even sole SDLP minister Margaret Ritchie’s Department of Social Development has reduced its Irish translation costs from £1,932 in 2006-07 to £30 in 2007-08.

The largest cuts came within the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Department of Environment, which cut their Irish translation costs by £17,798, and £18,832 respectively.

Big cuts were also seen within the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and the Department of Finance and Personnel.

Overall, however, across the 12 departments, Irish translation costs fell from £117,088 in 2006-07, to £89,327 in 2007-08.

North Belfast DUP MLA Nelson McCausland, who submitted the question, said the Education Minister was “determined” to push “her Irish language agenda, with all the associated costs, at a time when she is withdrawing funding from other areas”.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said the expenditure relates to “translations for speeches and Assembly business”.