Irish in EU Parliament: A Lingering Language Gap | Belfast News

A viral moment in the European Parliament spotlighted Ireland’s ongoing struggle to fully implement Irish as an official working language—despite it being legally recognized since 2022. Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan was surprised to learn she could speak Irish in committee, only to discover interpreter services weren’t confirmed, sparking a national conversation. The incident, which went viral with millions of views, has reignited calls to end language restrictions set to last until 2029. While officials admit the embarrassment helped draw attention, they’re now pushing to expand Irish-speaking staff within EU institutions and ensure smoother interpretation services—part of Ireland’s broader effort to normalize Irish in EU settings. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/95220005d457097d