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Despite the Sinn Fein Minister of Education in the North of Ireland Catiríona Ruane confirming that early Irish immersion programmes in gaelscoileanna in the North will continue, as highlighted earlier this month as the League's AGM in Caerdydd, the Democratic Unionist Party (UDP) Minister of Culture, Edwin Poots said this week that he opposed the introduction of an Irish Language Act in the North.
Today the Celtic languages, with the exception of Breton in Breizh, enjoy official recognition and support to a greater or lesser degree and they are rarely used as a political football by the establishment.
However, it seems that the unionists in the North of Ireland are still determined to oppose the Irish language as a means to bolster their loyalist credentials.
Earlier this week, the Unionists tabled a motion calling for Irish to be banned in the Stormont Chamber. Sensibly, the motion was rejected, but the unionists still believe that the Irish language is being "thrown in their faces" ( UUP's David McNarry) and are calling for the proposed Irish Language Act to be rejected.
A spokeswoman for POBL, the Irish language umbrella organisation in the North, said:
"Demanding Irish speakers cease to use the language in public is the language equivalent of telling black people to sit at the back of the bus…"
Now, in the shape of Minister Edwin Poots, the unionists may have finally got what they wanted. In a statement issued yesterday by the Northern Ireland Executive, Minister Poots said:
"…I remain unpersuaded that there is a compelling case for progressing legislation [for the Irish language], at this time. There is, in my view, insufficient community consensus; potentially significant costs; and a real possibility that legislation could undermine good relations and in so doing prove counter productive to those wishing to see the language developed in a non-politicised and inclusive manner."
However in 2006 Prime Minister Tony Blair promised Sinn Fein an Irish language Act for the North as one of the conditions of the Saint Andrews Agreement. Also, as Poot himself acknowledged, the majority of respondents in the Departments consultation on the Irish language favoured an Irish language Act, which included the Celtic League. The consultation was undertaken twice.
If early immersion programmes in the North of Ireland continue and Irish Language legislation is held back by the unionists, then the language rights of a growing generation of Irish language speakers will be left unprotected.
(Report prepared by Rhisiart Tal-e-bot)
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
18/10/07
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