Irish-speaking law graduates seeking EU jobs
Up to 70 Irish speaking law graduates are after specialist positions in the heart of Europe.
The European Commission today said scores of applications have been received for lawyer-linguist vacancies based in Brussels, Luxembourg or Strasbourg.
A total of 15 successful candidates will work for one of the main EU institutions – the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers or the Courts of Justice.
The positions for legal translators were advertised in November after Irish became an official EU language in 2006.
“Initial reports show between 60 and 70 applications have been received,” said an EC spokeswoman.
“That is a fair responsive considering there was a very specific set of criteria to meet.
“Applicants had to have a legal qualification as well as be fluent in Irish, English and know another European language.”
Gaelgoirs have to hold a degree or a postgraduate qualification in law or have qualified as a solicitor or barrister in Ireland.
As well as a perfect command of Irish, entrants also had to be fluent in English and have a very good knowledge of French, German, Spanish or Italian.
In the Commission, the Parliament and the Council of Ministers, the candidates’ role will consist of checking the Irish-language version of legislative texts and in some cases, translating short legal texts from English to Irish.
In the Court of Justice, duties will consist of translating and revising legal documents into Irish, and occasionally translating legal documents written in Irish into English.
“Although on-line applications had to be received by January 9, we are still accepting postal ones which have a post mark up to that date so some more might still arrive,” she added.
“They will all be assessed and those eligible will go through to the written exam.
“We hope to have a list of 15 qualified people which institutions can chose from as and when posts become available.
“That list will hopefully supply the organisations for the next year or two and then the competition will probably be advertised again.”
Meanwhile, a series of public information meetings on a linguistic study on the use of the Irish language in the gaeltacht will take place this week.
The authors of the study will present their findings at events being staged by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in Kerry, Donegal and Galway.
