The monthly meeting of Dublin City Council was tonight conducted completely in Irish for the first time since the establishment of the local authority in 1841.
The initiative is part of the programme for Seachtain na Gaeilge.
In order to ensure there were no lapses into English, interpreters were available for those members and officials who do not speak Irish.
Fine Gael Councillor Naoise Ó Muirí welcomed the initiative and suggested that running the meeting entirely as Gaeilge should become an annual event as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge.
Beidh cruinniú míosúil na comhairle ar siúl as Gaeilge tráthnóna inniu. Ag tosú ag 6:15pm, is féidir leat féachaint ar an gcruinniú anseo: https://t.co/tVHHsb8US2 pic.twitter.com/SjcVWHiwOv
— Dublin City Council (@DubCityCouncil) March 4, 2024
The riots which took place in the city centre last November were discussed at the meeting this evening and the councillors were furnished with the latest Dublin Joint Policing Committee report.
Sinn Féin Councillor Mícheál Mac Donncha said that while there is still a shortage of gardaí on the streets and that the problem of crime needs to be tackled, it is not just an issue in the O'Connell Street area.
There were several other social issues on the agenda and Fianna Fáil Councillor Deirdre Heaney set out a motion regarding the private sale of vacant houses and/or the possibility of the council purchasing vacant houses in her local area of Killester/Donaghmede.
While the oral hearing of An Bord Pleanála regarding the proposed Metrolink continues in the Gresham Hotel, the traffic and transport plan was also discussed at this evening's meeting.
Dublin City Council has committed to more initiatives promoting the Irish language later this year including Gaeilge 365 and Lá Mór na Gaeilge.
