Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

I only heard the end of the interview to which Senator O'Toole referred but I was shocked by it. It bore no resemblance to the experience I have had in the Oireachtas. I have raised the question of the NUJ on a number of occasions and challenged it out of admiration for the profession. On one occasion, the NUJ wrote a letter back to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges about me which was circulated. However, when the NUJ checked the record, it found it had got its target wrong. It sought a meeting with me and apologised for what it had done. I accepted the apology graciously and told them I was as interested in their profession as ours but that they were going down the wrong road.

Will the Leader ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to come before the House to discuss official languages in Europe? I am particularly interested in the status of the Irish language. There will be 20 languages in the enlarged EU, at least one of which will have fewer native speakers than Ireland. It is important to point out that there is now an opportunity to establish Irish as an official language and we should do so. It would be beneficial to Ireland since the Parliament would have to appoint at least 200 translators and interpreters, which would mean extra involvement for Ireland. Following on the language Act, it is timely we discuss the status of the Irish language in Europe.