Empty gestures?

The official status of the Maltese language in European Institutions is brought up by Irish campaigners (and by Catalans..) who face an uphill struggle and "embarassing results" in their bid to enhance the status of Irish. From the Thesis blog:

The Government points out that, since the late 1990s, citizens can write to the European institutions in Irish and receive a reply in Irish. EU officials seeking promotion to positions where three European languages are required can now count Irish among them, although Irish is not accepted as one of two languages required to start work in the institutions. Mr Ó Neachtáin can address the European Parliament in Irish - but only if he gives notice of his intention to do so. "I would prefer to speak in my own first language without having to make arrangements days in advance. This is a right I am being denied," he said.

Advocates of an enhanced status for Irish make much of the decision to designate Maltese an official language of the EU from May 1st. They point out that, with 380,000 speakers, Maltese is spoken by fewer people than Irish - at least according to the most recent Irish census. Maltese is, however, the mother tongue of 99 per cent of Malta's population and is used throughout its administration. Opponents of a change in status, who include some Irish officials in the Commission, report gleefully that the Commission has had trouble finding enough Maltese translators and interpreters. They dismiss the proposal to make Irish official as a waste of money - a somewhat risky line of argument for anyone in Brussels.

If the Government does ask the Commission to make a recommendation in favour of Irish, the Commission is likely to make an evaluation of the position of Irish in Ireland, with potentially embarrassing results...

Maltese Language Planning - by Antoine Cassar

Unhappy Catalans - Wired Temples