Cathal Crowe
Ceist:245. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his views on correspondence (details supplied). [46221/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 17 June 2026
Ceisteanna (245)
Freagraí scríofa
The use of Irish at an official level is an integral part of the efforts being made to ensure that the language is passed to future generations. In this context, my Department is taking an active role in the efforts to support the status of Irish as an official and working language of the European Union by working to increase the number of Irish-speaking officials, including translators and interpreters, in the EU Institutions through various measures.
Indeed, this year is a very important time, with Ireland holding the EU Presidency in the second half of 2026. In this context, the Government is placing particular emphasis on the active use of Irish during the Presidency, and the language services in the European institutions will be used extensively in this important work.
With regard to the challenges faced by individual institutions in the provision of language services, a working group, chaired by my Department, for 'Careers in Interpreting in the EU Institutions and in the Houses of the Oireachtas' was established earlier this year following discussions between officials from the Department, the European Parliament and Rannóg an Aistriúcháin in the Houses of the Oireachtas. This group is working to resolve the challenges facing the European Parliament and the Houses of the Oireachtas Service in relation to translation and interpretation services in the Irish language context.
Earlier this year, I took the opportunity of meeting senior officials from the European Parliament in order to emphasise the importance of this work to the Irish State and to demonstrate a commitment to having any outstanding issues resolved on an incremental basis over the coming years.