By now language campaigners in Ireland are campaigning to lift this derogation. Dozens of Irish language translators and lawyers have been trained but they have not been employed by the European Commission since there is no need to translate all the official documents as a result of the derogation. The campaigners estimate that nearly 200 extra posts would be made available for Irish speakers in the European Commission between now and 2017 if the derogation was lifted. One of the many arguments that they use in favour of lifting the derogation is the wider advantage to the country that would come from having so many Irish people working in the European Union as they could, once they are there, potentially go on to other posts in the European Commission. Many would argue that Ireland has not done too badly out of its membership of the European Union since it became a member in 1973 despite the recent economic crisis, and apparently many of the civil servants who went out to work in Europe in the 70s and 80s are nearing retirement age. They argue that lifting the derogation would increase the number of Irish people working in Brussels and Strasbourg, which could, with time potentially influence the direction of the European Union’s work.
Here in Wales the European elections are taking place in the context of British arguments about Britain’s membership of the European Union. A party that opposes it as a matter of principle is likely to do well in the elections, and it is possible that there will be a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union in 2017 if there is a Tory government following the 2015 elections. If we could hear them, I take it that it would be possible to use the same arguments as the Irish regarding the potential advantages that could come to all in Wales if the Welsh language was established as one of the official languages of the European Union. But, as I said, we do not hear these arguments because so many of the arguments around current affairs in our media are made in an English or British context.
I am far from being an expert on the European Union and the advantages and disadvantages of Wales and Britain’s membership of it. Although I recognize the enhanced status that the Walsh language would have by becoming one of the official languages of the European Union, I’m not quite sure either if I would want hundreds of Welsh speaking professionals moving from Wales to work in the seats of power of Brussels and Strasbourg rather than work in the seats of power of Wales! I do know however, that there is a need to discuss dozens of current affairs, including Wales and Britain’s membership of the European Union, in a Welsh space and context. I also know that Newsnight Cymru would be a great contribution to making this happen.