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Parties seek EU status for Irish language

The Government is to be urged next week to seek recognition of Irish as an official EU language.

A joint motion agreed by Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party will be debated in Labour's private members' time on Tuesday and Wednesday.

It is the second such motion agreed by the three parties in as many weeks.

It calls on the Government to use the opportunity of Ireland's EU presidency, and the fact that the accession of new member states will lead to an increase in official union languages, to have the Irish language recognised.

In previous Dáil exchanges on the issue, the Taoiseach has said it is not possible to secure recognition of Irish as there is not a high enough proportion of people in the State who speak it.