The newly-published Programme for Government includes a commitment to ‘fulfil duties’ under the new language Act, but makes no reference to Irish-medium education or a timeline for the implementation of the 20-year-old commitment to deliver an Irish-Language Strategy.
The Executive has today published the new 2024-27 Programme for Government. The draft programme for government was published in September 2024 with no reference to the Irish language or Irish Medium Education, shortcomings which attracted strong criticism from the Irish language community at the time. Conradh na Gaeilge and many language groups and organisations across the north actively participated in the consultation process which lasted 8 weeks before Christmas, and it was recommended that clear commitments, including measurable targets and timelines, be included on the following core issues:: the implementation of the new Irish Language Act and the appointment of the Irish Language Commissioner as an urgent and necessary step in that process; To publish and implement an Irish language strategy which has been an outstanding legal duty since 2006; and specific commitments regarding the growth and development of Irish-medium education.
As part of the final Programme for Government:
- there is a commitment that the Executive ‘will fulfil’ their ‘duties’ under the new language legislation, the Identity and Language Act (2022);
- In addition, the document states that ‘work is progressing on the development of the Executive’s Irish language strategy’. There is no reference to a timeline or commitment that such a Strategy will be ready within this period of Government (2027).
- There is no other reference in the document to the Irish language or any reference in any way to the development of Irish-medium Education.
Speaking today, Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, newly elected President of Conradh na Gaeilge, said:
“When the draft Programme for Government was published in September, we were incredibly disappointed and angry as a community that we were completely excluded from that document. We used that anger to encourage the public to participate in the consultation process and to advance the case of the Irish language and Irish-medium education. Whilst we have been able to push some references to the Irish language into the final version, there are clear shortcomings compared to what we would have expected.”
“The very bare minimum that we should expect in any Programme for Government is a clear plan and a reasonable timescale for the implementation of the Executive’s outstanding legal duties in relation to the Irish Language Act, the Commissioner and the Irish-Language Strategy, all previously agreed in law. We recognise and welcome that there is a commitment to implement the 2022 Act. Those commitments, however, have remained outstanding for several years. It is very difficult for us to have confidence that this timely implementation is a priority for an Executive in which the DUP is actively vetoing Irish language issues. The appointment of Irish Language Commissioner, the publication and implementation of an Irish Language Strategy and developments in the Irish Medium Education sector will now be continuous litmus tests for this Government in the coming period, especially at a time where a majority of our Gaelscoileanna remain in temporary accommodation. We therefore renew our call on the Executive to deliver on all of their legal duties and to meet the legitimate expectations of the Irish language community.”
Advocacy Manager with Conradh na Gaeilge, Conchúr Ó Muadaigh said:
“First of all, I commend the Irish language community who have taken a strong stand and have played an active role in organising and advocating for the inclusion of the Irish language since the publication of the draft Programme for Government last year. It is clear that we can achieve small gains when we collectively challenge exclusion and make the case of equality. Unfortunately, just being ‘mentioned’ is no longer enough for us. We should not be satisfied that the Executive is recognising that they need to comply with their own legal duties, if at the same time they refuse to set timescales for delivering on those duties. The DUP has proudly delayed the implementation of legal commitments to the Irish language for years and over the last few weeks we have not seen anything to tell us they are going to suddenly change those trends.”
“Given there is no clear commitment to completing the Irish language Strategy, a legal duty dating back to 2026, especially when compared to the firm commitments to delivering other strategies in the same document, Conradh na Gaeilge will continue preparation for a third Judicial Review into the failure to comply with that law. We are also very concerned that there is no reference to Irish-medium education in this Programme for Government, at a time when national and international experts are urgently calling for strong support, interventions and policies for this ever-growing sector.”
