Right time to press case for Irish language

MINISTER Éamon Ó Cuív displays faulty logic when he says that to press the case for the inclusion of Irish among the European Union's official working languages would be inappropriate during the Irish presidency.

Throughout this period, the Irish Government will continue to press Irish interests in all negotiations with fellow member states and the European Commission in respect of fisheries, agriculture, the environment, a common foreign and defence policy, and many other issues. If it were not to do so, the Government would be seriously at fault, our presidency notwithstanding.

What would be inappropriate would be to use the presidency for our own ends so as to damage the rights or interests of other actual or prospective members. The Irish language's inclusion among official working languages would in no way take from the preponderant position of major languages, including Danish, Dutch and Greek to name a few.