Following the news that Ireland has formally tabled its application for Irish to become an official European Union language, Plaid Cymru Deputy Leader Jill Evans MEP has renewed calls for the UK Government to make the same request for Welsh. Ms Evans, who made history last week by becoming the first person to legally use Welsh during a full debate in the European Parliament leads her party's campaign for official EU status for Welsh.

Ms Evans and the party's Westminster Leader Elfyn Llwyd MP met Welsh Secretary Peter Hain in September to discuss the EU constitution and press the case for Welsh recognition. At the time Mr Hain reacted favourably to the call for the proposed constitution to be translated into Welsh before any referendum and said he would raise the matter with Jack Straw.

Speaking from Brussels, Jill Evans MEP said:

"I want to congratulate the Irish government on their proposal which I fully support. It would be inexcusable if the UK Government did not take this opportunity to fight for the same status for Welsh. We have long campaigned for Welsh to become an official EU language and this new stage in negotiations presents an ideal opportunity to take this forward.

"Having Welsh as an official EU language would not only be of huge symbolic importance, it also has many practical benefits. Welsh speakers would be able to correspond with the EU institutions in their language of choice and Welsh speaking politicians would be able to use the language at EU talks."

The Irish government is understood to be proposing an interim period of four years for the necessary changes to be phased in. During this time, not all EU documents would have to be translated into Irish, but interpretation would be provided at Ministerial meetings and in the European Parliament. The reaction from other EU member states to the Irish proposals is understood to have been positive.

Jill Evans MEP added:

"Let's remember that there are more Welsh speakers than there are Irish speakers and Welsh is an everyday language of civil administration, education and daily life in Wales. So if Irish is to become an official EU language there is no reason why Welsh should not be afforded the same status."

Diwedd/Ends.