Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 March 2004
185 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in light of the Government’s recent support for the joint opposition party motion to have the Irish language recognised as an official EU language, the steps his Department intends to take to pursue this issue to ensure that Irish becomes an official EU language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7667/04]
View answer437 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent of the discussions he has had with his EU colleagues with the objective of the acceptance of the Irish language as a working language within the European institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7885/04]
View answer438 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position in relation to his Department’s response to the request for the establishment of the Irish language as a working language in EU institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7886/04]
View answerI propose taking Questions Nos. 185, 437 and 438 together and I refer the Deputy to the reply I gave to Questions No. 143 and 328 on 4 February 2004.
As indicated in that reply and as reiterated by me in the debate referred to, the Government has established a working group to analyse what can be achieved on this issue and the possibilities that exist to make progress. Two meetings of this working group have taken place to date and it is intended that the group will report within six weeks or so. At this point, I am not in a position to add anything further in relation to this issue until the group has reported and its report has been fully considered.
