Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Continued delay on Irish language legislation remains unacceptable - Brady

Published: 25 September, 2009

Sinn Féin MLA for Newry/Armagh, Mickey Brady has said that the continued failure by successive DUP Culture Ministers, as well as the British Government, to bring forward effective Irish language legislation and meet their current obligations under the European Charter is completely unacceptable.

Mr Brady said;

"The fact that a number of the departments are not coming up to the mark in terms of their obligations under the Charter is totally unacceptable.

"The responsibility for this continued delay lies firmly at the door of the DUP and their former DCAL Minister who refuses to neither implement an Irish Language Act nor bring forward the promised Languages Strategy.

"Sinn Féin will not allow the reality of the situation to be misrepresented and have consciously stood in support of the democratic rights and entitlements of the Irish speaking community here in the north.

"The current DCAL Minister and importantly, the British Government can no longer shirk their responsibilities and should listen, not just to the thousands of people demanding equality for the language but also to the growing international concern in relation to this issue."