Conradh na Gaeilge meet with Arlene Foster and DUP at Stormont to discuss Irish Language Act

DUP confirm they are looking at content and legislative provision for the Irish language

A delegation from Conradh na Gaeilge today (27 April 2017) met with DUP leader Arlene Foster at Stormont.

The Conradh na Gaeilge delegation included: Dr Niall Comer (President), Julian de Spáinn (Ard-Rúnaí), Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin (Advocacy Manager), Michaeline Donnelly (Local Tyrone Development Officer) agus Dr Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh (Communications).

Arlene Foster, Edwin Poots, David Graham and Chris Stalford were present on behalf of the DUP.

Dr Niall Comer, President of Conradh na Gaeilge says:

“Conradh na Gaeilge was happy to meet with the DUP and Arlene Foster today. Today’s meeting was a useful one, one in which we put across our proposals for an Irish Language Act and their associated costs as is laid out in the discussion document. I believe we got a good hearing and we are hoping that the DUP will support an Irish Language Act after contemplating what we discussed with them today. The Irish Language Community have been waiting too long for the state to bring in legislation that will protect these language-related human rights – the talks period is almost over, and now is the time for action.”

Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, Advocacy Manager, Conradh na Gaeilge, says:

“Already, 5 parties alongside a majority 50 of the 90 newly-elected MLAs support protective legislation for the Irish-language in the form of an Act. We are calling on the DUP and all parties now to come together and support these proposals, and to implement Irish-language legislation, as recently recommended by both the Council of Europe and the United Nations, and as was promised over ten years ago in the St Andrew’s Agreement.”

Conradh na Gaeilge has also contacted the new UUP leader Robin Swann requesting a meeting to discuss this further.

Our discussion document can also be downloaded here.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh
Communications Executive, Conradh na Gaeilge
00 44 28 90 315647 | 00 44 77 16690237 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin
Advocacy Manager, Conradh na Gaeilge
00 44 28 90 315647 | 00 44 7545293841| This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Conradh na Gaeilge is the democratic forum for the Irish-speaking community, and its main aim is to promote the use of Irish as the standard language in Ireland.