Stinging European criticism highlights need for Irish Language Act
Eanáir 27, 2014
IT’s now time to set a date for the introduction of an Irish Language Act, according to a local Irish language group.
The call comes in a week that the Stormont Executive came in for stinging criticism over how it promotes Irish here and in a week when some of the North’s leading Irish language groups lost key funding (see story above).
A report by the Council of Europe – a human rights organisation with 47 member states – said that more should be done to promote Irish, including in the courts, education, the media and in the Assembly. Every three years the Council uses information provided by various governments to compile a report on the state of minority languages. However, despite repeated requests, the Northern Ireland Executive has been unable to reach a consensus on its submission regarding Irish.
Reacting to the report, Janet Muller, CEO of Pobal, the umbrella organisation for the Irish language community in the north, said the report strongly urged that the Irish Language Act be introduced.
“It is in our opinion time to publish an agreed target date for its introduction and more forward” she added.
Agreement
Culture Minister Carál Ni Chuilín said she is committed to bringing forward legislation for an Irish Language Act.
“An Irish Language Act was agreed as part of the St Andrews Agreement, however this continues to be blocked by the unionists,” she said. “I am continuing to seek all party agreement around the Executive to bring forward the legislation as that is the only way it will be successful. The continuing growth of Irish medium education and the cross-community success of the Líofa initiative has shown that there is a demand for the rights of the Irish language speakers to be recognised and safeguarded in law. I will continue to work for an Acht na Gaeilge.”
West Belfast Sinn Féin MLA and the party’s spokesperson on the Irish language, Rosie McCorley, said the Council for Europe report highlights unionist “intransigence” when it comes to Irish.
“The Council for Europe report is saying what we already know. unionist politicians refuse to accept the rights and needs of the Irish language community,” she said.
Niall Comer, president of Comhaltas Uladh of Chonradh na Gaeilge, said he welcomed the support of the Council of Europe for the use of Irish in the courts and on bilingual street names in the north.
“The lack of political consensus on the Irish language and the persisting hostile climate in the Assembly, as noted in the report of the Council, has long hindered the development of a much-needed Irish Language Act to protect the rights of Irish speakers on this island,” he added.
Andersonstown News
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