Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Irish Language Act ‘was part of deal in 2007’
ONE of the architects of the St Andrews Agreement believed an Irish Language Act would be created by Stormont after the restoration of devolution in 2007.
Former Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern was a key player in the negotiations which led to power-sharing in Belfast.
He told BBC Northern Ireland’s Sunday Politics show: “There was always an understanding the British Government agreed to an inclusion and commitment to an Irish Language Act.
“But the quid pro quo would be there would be reciprocal attention given to the whole issue of Scots-irish.”
Northern Ireland has been without a first and deputy first minister since January and a functioning Executive since March. The institutions collapsed when late Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin Mcguinness resigned over the DUP’S handling of a botched renewable heat scheme.
That rift exposed more deepseated differences between the two main parties, including over the Irish language which is now the main obstacle to a return to devolved government. Sinn Fein insists it will not re-enter a coalition Executive in Belfast without an act to protect Irish speakers.
The DUP would agree to a wider cultural act, which also incorporates protections for the Ulster Scots culture, but it will not sign off on a free-standing piece of legislation focusing solely on Irish.
Talks to restore power-sharing have rumbled on for months without a breakthrough.