The derogation of Irish in the EU
November 26, 2013
Call for Government Committee on Irish language and Gaeltacht affairs to seek end to derogation on the official status of the Irish language in the European Union.
While Irish has been recognised as one of 24 official and working languages of the European Union since 2007, a derogation which was placed on that status until 2012 and then extended until 1 January 2017, means that not all EU Institutions are obliged to translate all documentation into Irish.
The Irish language community has been heavily critical of EU Institutions due to their misuse of the derogation since 2007. Several Institutions have used the derogation as a reason not to translate documentation even though it relates to laws alone. In August of this year, the European Ombudsman, following his investigation of a complaint made by Dr Pádraig Ó Laighin, found a case of maladministration against the European Parliament for failure to make its website available in Irish.
Conradh na Gaeilge has said that over 180 jobs would be created should the derogation be lifted and a decision must be made by the government in time for any EU recruitment campaign.
General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge, Julian de Spáinn, said that the derogation on Maltese was lifted after three years as a result of provisional contracts given to Maltese experts which allowed employees to gain French as a third official language, a requirement in the EU and a practice which could be applied to the Irish language.
Conradh na Gaeilge is demanding that the derogation be lifted as soon as possible and a series of recruitment competitions for long-term and provisional contract positions take place in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
©Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com 25 Samhain 2013
