Translation services: certified, specialist or spoken, from one provider in Ireland

Ask the receiving authority exactly what it wants before ordering anything: which language, whether the translation must be done in that country, whether it needs a notary, and whether the apostille goes on the original, the translation, or both. Getting this wrong is expensive, because the notarial and legalisation steps then have to be repeated.

Legal contracts, technical manuals, medical documents, financial reports and marketing copy each need a translator who knows the subject, not only the languages. Ask who will translate your text, what their subject background is, and whether a second linguist reviews it. For regulated content such as product safety information or clinical documents, ask how terminology is controlled and whether the provider keeps glossaries and translation memories for your account.

Website translation brings its own questions: which content management system you use, how new pages are handled, whether search terms are researched in the target language rather than translated word for word, and who owns the translation memory if you change provider.

• source and target languages, word count and file format
• subject area and intended use: information only, publication, legal or official
• whether certification, notarisation or an apostille is needed
• turnaround time and whether an urgent rate applies
• who translates and who proofreads, and their qualifications
• confidentiality terms and how files are stored and deleted

Interpreting is spoken, not written, and it is a separate skill. Consecutive interpreting, where the speaker pauses for the interpreter, suits meetings, interviews and site visits. Simultaneous interpreting, usually from a booth with headsets for the audience, is used for conferences and needs equipment and normally a pair of interpreters who take turns. Remote interpreting by phone or video has become common for shorter appointments.

For legal, police, medical and social services settings, look for interpreters on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters or with relevant qualifications. Brief the interpreter in advance with agendas, names and technical terms, and allow for the fact that interpreted meetings take longer.

Written translation is usually priced by word count or per page for standard documents such as certificates, with more for rare language pairs, specialist subjects, difficult formatting, handwritten or poorly scanned originals and urgent deadlines. Certification is often included for official documents, while notarisation and apostilles are separate charges on top. Interpreting is priced by time, often with a minimum booking, plus travel for on-site work.

The GDPR applies to your documents; in Ireland the Data Protection Commission is the supervisory authority. If a supplier processes personal data on your behalf, you need a data processing agreement.

Irish companies are registered with the Companies Registration Office. Ask for the company number and VAT number, and check whether prices are quoted with or without VAT.

Source: dataprotection.ie · eur-lex.europa.eu · revenue.ie

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Before that business sees your details, we email you its name, address and phone number. We check only that it is a registered business, for example through its Companies Registration Office entry or VAT number, not the quality of its work. We cannot promise that a business will respond; if nobody takes the request within 21 days, we withdraw it. Offrano is not a party to any contract for the work.