6 responses to “An Irish Langague Act – at last”

1. 

   You what? November 20th, 2008 at 12:34

   How are the SDLP planning to introduce a bill to the assembly today when it doesn’t sit on a Thursday?

2. 

   Conall McDevitt November 20th, 2008 at 12:44

   Good point.

   My understanding is that it is their intention to have it ‘laid’ on Monday. They are publishing it today. It is normal practise to publish a private members bill before you seek to lay it.

3. 

   You what? November 20th, 2008 at 18:37

   Next question. How are they going to continue to say the support the Belfast Agreement when this monstrosity is a breech of it?

4. 

   Conall McDevitt November 20th, 2008 at 19:23

   Thanks for your comment:

   The agreement includes the following:

   Section 1 (vi) recognise the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to
   identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they
   may so choose, and accordingly confirm that their right to hold both
   British and Irish citizenship is accepted by both Governments and would
   not be affected by any future change in the status of Northern Ireland.

   In the section delaing with Human Rights:

   These additional rights to reflect the principles of mutualrespect for the identity and ethos of both communities and parity of esteem, and – taken together with the ECHR – to constitute a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. Among the issues for consideration by the Commission will be:
   • the formulation of a general obligation on government and public bodies fully to respect, on the basis of equality of treatment, the identity and ethos of both communities in Northern Ireland; and
   • a clear formulation of the rights not to be discriminated against and to equality of opportunity in both the public and private sectors.

   Both these sections provide in my mind a basis on which to argue that an Irish Language Act is consisent with the spirit of the Good Friday Agreeement in that it provides a legislative recognition of the general obligtaion on public bodies to respect the identity and ethos of both communities in Northern Ireland.

5. 

   You what? November 21st, 2008 at 01:18

   Usual nationalist nonsense and misrepresentation of the Belfast Agreement. But good to hear you admit that the Irish language is a nationalist language and therefore a sectarian issue.

   The section of the agreement you are actually looking for is this:

   3. All participants recognise 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, all of which are part of the cultural wealth of the island of Ireland.

6. 

   Éamonn O Gribín November 29th, 2008 at 13:42

   I wecome the bradley bill.
   It makes sense that both Irish Gaelic and English become official languages in Northern Ireland.
   The section ‘Constitutional Issues’ regarding ‘parity of esteem’ etc clearly outline the duties of the British Government towards those of us who carry an Irish Passport and live in this jurisdiction. The British Government should honour not only the Good Friday Agreement but also the St. Andrew’s Agreement, where they have promised to enact an Irish Language Act at Westminster.
   You what? refers to the ‘Economic, Social and Cultural Issues’ paragraph in Strand Two. This section does not suggest that irish Citizens in Northern Ireland should not have the right to be to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish.