An announcement from the European Parliament on its increasing recognition of Irish as an equal language of the European Union, via a report by the Irish Times newspaper:
“The European Parliament website is now available in Irish, the parliament has announced in a press statement. All major sections of the Europarl website are now in Irish, including the Portal, News, MEPs, About Parliament, Plenary, Committees, and Delegations. The mobile version and the visitors’ website – Visits, Parlamentarium, House of European History – are also available in Irish-language versions. In addition, the website’s newsroom is updated daily in Irish and includes major stories and election-related content. There are also dedicated election and results websites in Irish to cover the forthcoming European elections and the parliament is tweeting in Irish at @Europarl_GA.”
Meanwhile over at Oireachtas na hÉireann, the Irish parliament, this whole “equality” thing between citizens of Ireland who speak Irish or English seems to be for “foreigners” only. They are sticking with the state’s tried and trusted “second-class Irish” policy.
AN SIONNACH FIONN 
Donncha Ó hÉallaithe was on Cormacag5 Tuesday: his argument essentially if Oireachtas translators can’t be resourced then why staff the Commission – a waste of money, he believes….
http://www.beo.ie/alt-stadas-na-gaeilge-san-eoraip-an-cur-amu-airgid-e.aspx
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Thanks for the link, read it just now. Interesting points and valid in one way. However I think it is a case of not seeing the wood for the trees. Yes we need translations (and skilled translators) first and foremost here in Ireland but that does not mean the EU should be put on the long finger. Especially as the Irish government/state has no intention of providing the former.
I am reminded of the 1960s and young African-Americans from the southern United States, college-graduates, travelling to the northern metropolises of the nation and finding social, economic, cultural and legal freedom and mobility that they never experienced at home. They then took those experiences and determined that they should apply equally at home regardless of local prejudices.
One could hope that the dozens of bilingual Irish civil servants in the EU find a similar level of determination.
As it is if we can name and shame the Irish government through social media, etc. by comparison with the EU, then let us make hay while the sun shines 😉
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Athbhlagáladh é seo ar seachranaidhe1.
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