A chara, - I read with interest the letter from Maebh Nic Innreaghtaigh in Paris (May 13th), telling how only she out of her degree course of 70 people from 30 nationalities had to learn a fourth language to work in the EU. I would suggest that the failure to register Irish as an official EU language is yet another reason why she should abandon Fianna Fáil
The Green Party is the only party in Ireland genuinely committed to cultural diversity for its own sake, and not in any tokenistic way as a nod to outdated nationalism. Fianna Fáil appears to be wallowing in a neo-colonial mindset on this matter, almost apologising for the existence of the Gaelic strand of our complex, interwoven national heritage.
In our view, it would not be enough to recognise Irish as a language for employment purposes within EU. institutions. Nothing short of full, official, recognition would be sufficient.
The Green Party intends to formulate a number of economic, environmental, social and cultural preconditions to participation in any future Government, and the recognition of Irish as an official EU language will be high on the list. - Is mise,
TREVOR SARGENT, TD, Ceannaire/Leader, An Comhaontas Glas/The Green Party, Dáil Éireann, Dublin 2.