“British Government have responsibility to bring about Irish language Act and now is the time to fulfill those obligations” – Conradh na Gaeilge
Conradh na Gaeilge challenge British Secretary of State Karen Bradley MP in historic first meeting
Conradh na Gaeilge have today (1/2/2018 at 3.15pm) met with the British SOS Karen Bradley MP in the first meeting of it’s kind. The meeting was focused on the implementation of a stand-alone Irish language Act and the obligations of the British Government made at St Andrews.
The delegation that met with the Secretary of State included:
Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, Julian de Spáinn, Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh, Caoimhe Ní Chathail, Breanda Uí Chléirigh, and Katy-Rose Mead.
Dr Niall Comer, President, Conradh na Gaeilge, says:
Whilst this was indeed an important and significant meeting, equality for Irish speakers is the ultimate goal through an independent Irish Language Act. The demands made by the Irish speaking community are both realistic and reasonable and they are consistent with the same rights afforded to Welsh and Gaidhlig speakers. The Irish Language is an integral part of this society and until that is recognised officially, and until the appropriate provisions are in place, provisions recognised internationally by experts, the efforts to secure an independent Irish Language Act will not cease.
Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, Advocacy Manager, Conradh na Gaeilge, says:
We welcomed the opportunity to meet with Karen Bradley MP SOS today, which allowed us to present our case for a strong, rights based Irish language Act. We impressed upon the Secretary of State the British Government’s clear obligation to ensure delivery of rights for our community, on behalf of her Government, which promised to do so over 11 years ago and informed her that we will continue to lobby, agitate and campaign until we get a stand-alone rights based Irish-language act. We called on Karen Bradley that she use her power as SOS to bring about the change required and that now is the time to fulfill those obligations. If the British Government and the SOS is sincere about the creation of a ‘strong, stable and sustainable’ assembly then rights of Irish speakers must form a central part of that. We look forward to further engagement with the SOS in the coming weeks.
“British Government have responsibility to bring about Irish language Act and now is the time to fulfill those obligations” – @CnaG
— Conradh na Gaeilge (@CnaG) 1 Feabhra 2018
Conradh na Gaeilge challenge British Secretary of State Karen Bradley MP in historic first meeting#AchtAnois pic.twitter.com/whJJ4ma274
The Conradh na Gaeilge discussion document can also be downloaded at: http://bit.ly/2uApcES
END
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin
Advocacy Manager, Conradh na Gaeilge
00 44 28 90 315647 | 00 44 7545293841|
Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh
Communications Executive, Conradh na Gaeilge
00 44 28 90 315647 | 00 44 77 16690237 |
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Pictures available from
Conradh na Gaeilge is the democratic forum for the Irish-speaking community. The Conradh has over 200 branches and numerous individual members registered around the world, members that work hard to promote the use of Irish in their own areas. Conradh na Gaeilge’s main aim is to promote the use of Irish as the standard language in Ireland. Conradh na Gaeilge was established by Douglas Hyde, Eoin Mac Néill, and their colleagues on the 31st of July 1893. The organisation runs Irish-language courses; advocates for the language rights of Irish-speakers; raises awareness about the language; hosts the international Irish-language festival Seachtain na Gaeilge; manages the Irish-language information hub PEIG.ie and the Irish-language bookshop An Siopa Leabhar; supports Raidió Rí-Rá; and much more. More information: www.cnag.ie
