Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 March 2017
177. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the recent concerns expressed by the Council of Europe regarding the lack of progress in approving Acht na Gaeilge in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14546/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Good Friday Agreement recognised the importance of respect, understanding, and tolerance in relation to linguistic diversity, including in Northern Ireland, the Irish language, Ulster-Scots and the languages of the various ethnic communities.
The Irish Government ratified the Council of Europe Framework Convention on National Minorities in 1999 further to the commitment to do so under the Good Friday Agreement. The UK Government had previously ratified the Convention.
The Council of Europe Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities published its Fourth Opinion on the United Kingdom on 9 March 2017. The Advisory Committee made a number of observations and recommendations in relation to the status and protection of the Irish language in Northern Ireland, which relate to provisions of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent Agreements.
The Committee’s recommendations include the adoption of appropriate legislation by the Northern Ireland Assembly as a necessity to protect and promote the Irish language. The Committee also called on the UK Government to help create the political consensus needed for such adoption. The Committee made further recommendations in relation to support for Irish-medium education, Irish language teaching and shared education in Northern Ireland. The Committee also made a recommendation on funding under the BBC Charter for programming in minority languages, in particular the Irish language.
The Council of Europe Advisory Committee report is a welcome and timely contribution to the current discussions on ensuring respect for linguistic diversity and the Irish language in Northern Ireland, consistent with the principles of the Good Friday Agreement.
Further to the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement, a specific commitment to an Irish Language Act in Northern Ireland to be enacted by the British Government was part of the St Andrews Agreement in 2006. Successive Irish Governments have advocated in favour of an Irish Language Act and continue to do so. Regrettably to date, there has been no agreement within the Northern Ireland Executive to take forward what is now a devolved matter.
As part of the outstanding commitments under previous Agreements, the question of an Irish Language Act for Northern Ireland was discussed on several occasions during the Stormont House negotiations in late 2014. While I and other Irish Government representatives advocated for this commitment being honoured and implemented, regrettably it was not possible to reach agreement for such an explicit undertaking. Nevertheless, in the text of the final Stormont House Agreement, the Government and the British Government, recalling the commitments from previous Agreements, endorsed the need for respect for and recognition of the Irish language in Northern Ireland.
The Stormont House Agreement provides for regular review meetings with the participation of the Government, the British Government and the Executive party leaders. At the last two Review Meetings – most recently in December – I had the opportunity to draw attention to these outstanding commitments, including in relation to the Irish language, and asked that they remain on the agenda for future review meetings.
As part of the current talks process in Northern Ireland, I have engaged in discussions with the British Government and the main political parties on outstanding commitments and the implementation of past agreements. In relation to the Irish language in my discussions with the British Government and each of the parties, I have noted clearly the Government’s support for a statutory basis for the Irish language in Northern Ireland, consistent with our support for an Irish Language Act over many years.
The Government will continue to support the Irish language on an all-island basis, including through financial support for the work of Foras na Gaeilge. The Government will continue to work with the British Government and the political parties in Northern Ireland to seek the full implementation of all provisions of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent Agreements, including those relating to the Irish language.
