A 20-year strategy to encourage an increase in the number of people able to speak fluently in both Irish and English is to be developed by the Government.
Promoting the policy of "functional bilingualism", Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the strategy would outline a detailed plan for the development of Irish.
"The Government now plans to focus firmly on the practical development of a bilingual society where as many people as possible use both Irish and English with equal ease," he said.
From January 1st next year, Irish will become the 20th official working language of the European Union, at the request of the Government.
"We are talking about our culture and heritage. It isn't right always to be counting the pennies," said Éamon Ó Cuív, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
Despite the presence of every member of the Cabinet, nothing new was unveiled yesterday at the press conference held at Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park.
Citizens will have the right, under the already-enacted Official Languages Act, to use Irish in all their dealings with the State.
Parents will be helped if they wish to have their children educated through Irish, though no legal rights to such an education will be established.
Further improvements in Irish language broadcasting on TG4, RTÉ and Raidió na Gaeltachta will be made, while Irish-speaking areas in the Gaeltacht will be helped.
Irish will remain an obligatory subject for Leaving Certificate students. The efforts made in recent years have led to a rise in the numbers able to speak Irish "in one census after another", said Mr Ó Cuív.
Minister for Education Mary Hanafin said many people could use Irish in their daily lives, but they do not have the confidence to do so.
Nearly 100,000 pupils attend Gaelscoileanna every day, said Minister for Justice Michael McDowell.
"This is undoubtedly due to the constitutional, legal and practical protection afforded to Irish in a post-independence society," he said.
The public will be fully consulted about the development of the strategy, which will cost €300,000 and will draw on outside experts, said Mr Ó Cuív.
In its "Statement on the Irish language, 2006", the Government has committed itself to the full implementation of the Official Languages Act.
On education, it said: "A high standard of all-Irish education will be provided to school students whose parents/ guardians so wish. Gaelscoileanna will continue to be supported at primary level and all-Irish provision at post-primary level will be developed to meet follow-on demand."
