Do you know what’s Greek for sláinte?

It’s been a long time coming but Irish finally became a full official EU language this year. It took more than a decade, but the Irish language gained full official and working status in the institutions of the European Union on 1 January.

One interesting result, apart from more Irish speakers being hired in Brussels, is that a huge company in Athens is now seeking Irish speakers to work in a call centre there.

They seek people with an excellent command of the Irish language coupled with a customer service mindset in return a full relocations package including flights, cash bonus of €500, private health insurance, temporary hotel accommodation and assistance to secure an apartment in Athens.

Acumen International is a Dublin-based multilingual consultancy with offices in Paris and London. It has been tasked with finding Irish speakers for what it calls “a unique opportunity for Irish speakers to travel and experience a Mediterranean country whilst working for the world’s largest search engine”.

It’s the first international request for Irish speakers that Acumen has fielded. It is an experienced multilingual agency that specialises in relocating staff throughout Europe. They have worked with this client since 2009. On average they relocate between 60-80 candidates per month to Greece.

Full training for this position is provided by the company in Greece along with assistance in opening a bank account and tax registration. The minimum duration is a three-month contract or a rolling contract for six months to twelve months if desired. While salaries aren’t much by Irish standards, they are double the normal in Greece and above the national average.

The main requirement is the ability to speak Gaelic and soft skills are essential. A commercial background is not required, just a love of the Irish language.