The Green Party has called for the increased use of Irish in the Oireachtas to mark the millennium. It urged the National Millennium Committee to ensure that the language benefited from the projects being planned.
Mr Trevor Sargent TD called on the Oireachtas to emulate the Israeli parliament: "Following the foundation of the Israeli state, a plan was followed to have Hebrew made the main language of communication in parliament, with the help of translation facilities and bilingual publications. Such a plan to have Irish as a basic tool of communication in the Dail and Seanad would be a clear expression of Ireland's intention to celebrate our distinct contribution to the world's cultures in the new millennium."
The Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Mr Seamus Brennan, said the committee will examine the suggestion.
Meanwhile, the president of Conradh na Gaeilge, Mr Tomas Mac Ruairi, yesterday criticised the decision of the Minister for Education, Mr Martin, to abolish the Ceard Teastas Gaeilge examination for second-level teachers. Teachers who do not use Irish in their everyday work will not now have to pass an oral examination in the language.
He said the need for an all-Irish university had been illustrated by this negative, retrograde decision, which reduced the level of education demanded of second-level teachers of Irish pupils.
Mr Mac Ruairi added: "Conradh reiterates its call for the setting up without much more delay of an all-Irish university to ensure a ready supply of teachers for the growing second-level gaelscoil sector, as well as the many other national benefits which would flow from this institution."