Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 December 2004
48 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has had discussions with the Department of Foreign Affairs regarding official working status for the Irish language in the EU; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that ambassadors to the EU have given a cautiously positive response to the Government’s request for Irish to be an official EU language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33251/04]
View answerAs I indicated in my reply to Question No. 91 on 9 November last, a process of discussions has been initiated with the other EU member states and the EU institutions with a view to seeking official and working language status for the Irish language in the EU under EEC Regulation 1/1958. The regulation is the legal instrument that governs the EU institutions' official and working language regime.
As the Deputy may be aware, my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, announced on 24 November that Ireland had on that day tabled a formal proposal — by way of a draft amendment to EEC Regulation 1/1958 — requesting that official and working language status be accorded to the Irish language.
The focus in the discussions, which are ongoing, with representatives of the other member states and EU institutions is on securing agreement on the practical modalities in relation to this objective. As I also indicated in my previous reply, it would not be appropriate for me to make any public comment on the detail of these discussions until they have been brought to a conclusion.
