Cuireann is sé isteach go mór ormar an gcéad lá do mhí Bealtainele deich gcinn de tíortha nua ag teacht isteach san Aontas Eorpach, go mbeidh suas le 20 cinn de teangacha oifigiúilsan Aontasagus ní bheidh an Gaeilge leo siúd. Tá fhios ag an Taoiseach go gcuireann sé seo isteach ar cúrsaí oibritheorí agus cúrsaí aistreoirí. Os rud é gurb é seo an t-Uachtarántacht deireanach a bhéas againn-ne agus ós rud é gurb é an Taoiseach an Príomh-Aire agus an t-Uachtarán, an bfhuil sé i leith aige brú a chur chun go mbeidh ár dteanga bunreachtúilaontaitheleis na teangacha oifigiúil eile?

I have no wish to make a case here on the basis of this being purely a specific lobby group in respect of the Irish language. I regard it as a matter of national pride and in Ireland's interest that, as he is the President of the European Union and as we will not have a Presidency again in the form that it is currently conducted, and since on 1 May there will be 20 official languages in the European Union, a unique opportunity is presented for the Taoiseach and the country to have Irish recognised as an official language. Is it his intention, given the unique opportunity he has, to have Irish included as an official language, as a matter of pride for the country and for the next generation?

This issue has been raised a number of times in recent months. As Deputy Kenny knows, there was a debate on it at the Forum for Europe some weeks ago. The Government decided to put together a group to examine what can be done and whether it can be progressed. Deputy Kenny also knows that there has been a basis for many years — since one of the early enlargements — as to what classifies an official language. That was based on the premise that a language must be in total administrative use within a country. An example is Malta where 99% of business administration is conducted in Maltese, as is the work of the judiciary and parliament. That is not the situation with the Irish language and that is why it was not classified as an official language from the start.

As the Deputy has acknowledged, a case is being made that translation should not be sought for everything. It should not be a question that the 100,000 pages or so a year should be translated, but a more limited modus operandi through the use of Irish in correspondence would provide opportunities for Irish-speaking people to obtain employment in the Commission. This has been well put by many of the groups that have made their cases to me. The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, has put together a small group to look at the possibilities and see if there is some middle ground.

I have read the 1973 position and the mid-1980s document on this. It seems that if it is not used fully in the work of parliamentary and judicial administration, it would not be one of the languages. The figures the Deputy has quoted are correct. There are 20 languages in the system from May. The recruitment for that is currently taking place. Some aspects of the case put by the Irish language movement we will try to facilitate. Hopefully, Deputy Ó Cuív's committee will report back in about a month or six weeks.

Ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil mé fíor-bhuíoch as ucht an freagra sin. Bí cinnte go dtabharfaidh mise agus ár bpáirtí anseo cuille tacaíocht don Rialtas chun an rud seo a chur i gcríoch. Tá an ceart ag an Taoiseach. Níl sé i gceist ar chur ar bith to mbeadh chuille páipéir aistruithe go Gaeilge.

It would not be possible for people to read every document in Irish such as agricultural or economic directives, which are difficult enough to read in English. We contribute to a translation fund which we will continue to do in any event. My reason for raising this issue now is that time is relatively short. I know the Taoiseach has to do some administrative work with the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív. I offer him the full support of my party in respect of this issue. It is not my intention to have a situation whereby every single document would have to be translated in Irish. However, our young people, if they wish to become translators or interpreters, should be able to avail of that opportunity in Europe also. This will be the last Presidency and the Taoiseach has this opportunity. All Governments since 1973, when we joined the Union, have been guilty of not addressing the problem.

Is ceann de na teangacha is sine é ár dteanga dúchais agus ba cheart go mbeadh seo curtha i gcrích ag an Rialtas. Tabharfaidh Fine Gael agus an Teach ar fad tacaíocht dó leis seo a reiteach.

I thank Deputy Kenny for his support. There is merit in some of the arguments he made. I do not want to give the impression that nothing has been done. The most recent constitutional papers were immediately translated into Irish. The position is that opportunities do not exist within the Commission and the translation services for Irish-speaking people who want to do their business in Irish. We know from the campaign that many people would like to have that opportunity.

We will see if there is a middle road on this. I do not want go give the Deputy the impression that we can go the whole way because that is not possible. I have been lobbied on this and have examined it and I know it is not possible to do what the Deputy wishes. We cannot say we are in the same position as Malta; the criteria does not hold up. We will have an opportunity to provide limited translation as is currently the position.

The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, has, to his credit done a great deal of work on this during the past six months. I welcome the support of the Opposition parties.