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Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has pledged his support to groups across Ireland who took a half-day of strike action on Wednesday 26 February to call for fair investment in the Irish language.
At the end of January North-South body Foras na Gaeilge announced funding cuts of €817,945. Those cuts will directly impact Irish language groups across Ireland, and many community schemes will be cut during the coming months. Foras na Gaeilge is tasked with promoting the Irish language and depends on a match-funding mechanism that must be agreed between both the northern Executive and southern Government. Over recent months, both Finance ministers agreed a new framework to reform that funding relationship which would allow either Government to provide Foras with additional funding without the need for the equivalent match funding from the other Government. It has now emerged that the DUP has blocked that framework from the Executive Agenda 5 times since the Autumn, which blocks the only reform able to address the current crisis through Foras na Gaeilge.
Mr. McNulty also welcomed the confirmation the UK Government would repeal a 300-year-old ban on the Irish language being used in courts in the North.
Mr McNulty said: “It’s very disappointing that Irish language and Gaeltacht groups have been forced to take this action in an attempt to reverse short-sighted cuts to Foras na Gaeilge. Since being set up following the Good Friday Agreement this organisation has done fantastic work to advance the Irish language right across this island. It’s due to the work of groups like Foras na Gaeilge that we have seen the sustained growth in interest in the language over the past decade.
“The Irish Government and Executive must recognise the contribution of Foras na Gaeilge and provide them with the funding they need to carry on their important work. An organisation cannot prosper when dealing with financial uncertainty and we need a long-term funding plan in place. There is broad agreement for a new funding model between the governments and no party can be allowed to stop this from proceeding.
“This action comes as we receive confirmation that the UK Government will finally remove laws banning the use of Irish in courts here - Más mall is mithid. This is a historic moment and credit must go to the Irish language campaigners who fought so hard to see this overturned. I have already submitted an Assembly question pressing the Justice Minister to confirm when measures will be introduced to allow the use of Irish in our legal spaces – we have waited long enough.”
