Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-03-10-Speech-3-253"
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"en.20040310.6.3-253"2
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".
thank you very much Brian. I agree wholeheartedly with the opening point. The extraordinary thing that has happened in the last 30 years has been the explosion of interest in a language that 30 years ago looked as if it was threatened. One of the arguments made 30 years ago was that minority languages would be crushed and in particular the Irish language would disappear in the European Union. That has not happened. Mr Crowley is absolutely correct when he says that one of the extraordinary features has been the explosion of interest in the education sector in the Irish language. The most rapidly growing part of education in Ireland is the Gaelscoileanna, the all-Irish schools at first and second level. He is correct in that.
The Irish Government welcomes that. We always said that the European Union would not bring about the end of our language; our cultural identity is stronger now than it ever was.
The language has been accorded a quite distinct status within the Union since Ireland joined in 1973. The Treaty status of the language was agreed in 1973 and that right was re-established in the Treaties of Amsterdam and Nice. It is also set out fully in the new Treaty; there is a little additional progress there.
In practice, a number of positive steps have been taken by the Union in relation to the Irish language, for example, the Treaty of Amsterdam confirmed the right of citizens of the Union to correspond with any institutions in any of the Treaty languages, including Irish. If my memory serves me correctly, Article 42 in the new Treaty makes a specific cross-reference to that.
I regard such steps as clearly beneficial moves towards the Irish language. They reflect the sort of constructive measures that can have a meaningful impact on the citizens' relationship with the Union and its institutions. In short, they are practical measures that make a difference. Irish is the only language other than those specified in Council Regulation No 1 of 1958 to which these rights apply. Additionally, Lingua, the Union's programme for the promotion of language teaching and learning recognises the Irish language for its purposes.
As I pointed out in my answer, the government of Ireland has set up a working group to establish what further steps can be taken. It is not, as some people believe, simply a matter of knocking on the door
. We are engaged in the matter; I am aware of the debate; it is a debate in which I take an interest. Indeed, as someone who comes from the Gaeltacht part of Ireland, I – like Mr Crowley – take a passionate interest in it."@en1
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"Go raibh míle maith agat"1
"cnagar ar an doras"1
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