The Cabinet has given approval to the preparation of a general scheme on the Official Languages Equality Bill.
The Minister of State for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Mr Eamon O Cuiv, said he intended to publish the Bill by the end of this year, or early in 2001.
Welcoming the Cabinet's approval, he said it was a major step forward in the improvement of State services through Irish to that part of the community who wished to avail of them.
Under the Bill, the language rights of the citizen will be established in accordance with the constitutional status already in place for both official languages - Irish and English.
A legal obligation will be placed on State departments and public services to provide services to the public through Irish at an agreed level.