Gallagher: Only right and proper that EU recognises Irish language

A Fianna Fáil MEP is welcoming efforts to support the establishment of an Irish-language version of the official European Parliament website.

Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher has said the President of the European Parliament's position will reverse what he said was "a matter of discrimination" against the Irish language.

The Parliament's website is currently produced in 22 out of the 23 official EU languages.

Up until now, it has not been translated into the Irish language even though Irish has been an official EU language since 2007.

Mr Gallagher said this is welcome news: "We have our own languange, we have our own culture, and since 1973 all the treaties in the European Union have been made available in Irish.

"Prior to this we could correspond with the institutions in Irish and receive replies in Irish so I think it is only right and proper that our independence, our language, our culture, our heritage is recognised in the European parliament."