Microsoft has launched an Irish Local Language Program, which will translate Windows XP and Office 2003 into Irish. The software giant has teamed up with Foras na Gaeilge, the cross-Border Irish-language development agency and the universities of Ulster, Limerick and Maynooth for the project.

The Irish-language versions of both products will be available free of charge by downloading a Language Interface Pact (LIP) - which it is hoped will be available in the next 12 months - from the Internet.

The original idea to produce an Irish LIP came from employees in Microsoft's European Product Development Centre in Sandyford, Dublin, who worked voluntarily on an Irish-language version. The centre oversees the development of over 100 Microsoft products into 27 languages.

Microsoft Ireland's head of corporate affairs, Mr Terry Landers, said the company was "proud to be part of an integrated approach bringing together the academic, corporate and Government sectors to produce a truly representative product which will help to increase access to technology in our native tongue, in addition to helping Irish-speaking families and businesses.

"We also expect the final product to be widely embraced by teachers and students throughout the island."

Formally launching the initiative, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr O Cuiv, praised the partnership for its "vision".

"Under the Official Languages Act we made a commitment to ensure better availability and higher standards of public services through Irish," he said.

As part of the project, a glossary website for Irish has been set up. Foras na Gaeilge has pre-translated technical terms in Irish from its Dictionary of Computing and Information Technology and has invited Irish speakers to comment on and contribute to them at http://members.microsoft.com/wincg. The final glossary will be used as a translation resource and as a reference work.