‘Urgent work needed on Irish Language Act’ – Bradley | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

‘Urgent work needed on Irish Language Act’ – Bradley

SDLP MLA for Newry and Armagh and party spokesperson on the Irish language Dominic Bradley has expressed his disappointment in culture Minister Carál Ní Chuilín at her failure to advance the Irish Language Act during her first year in office.

Speaking after Ms Ní Chuilín failed to answer a question in the Assembly on when her proposals on the Irish Language act would be available Mr Bradley said: “It was hardly surprising that her two DUP predecessors in the Culture department failed to advance the Irish Language Act but Irish speakers expected more from a Sinn Féin minister but here she is after a year in office with absolutely no movement on the act. Irish speakers will share my deep disappointment with the lack of progress. The Minister may well point to the Líofa scheme which she initiated but many Irish speakers see this as a smokescreen to hide the lack of progress on the substantive issue as well as being way short of the mark.”

“I have asked the Minister in the Assembly on several occasions,” Bradley continued, “for an update on progress on the Irish Language Act but the only response I have got to date is a passing of the buck to others or some other evasive and patronising tactic. That simply is not good enough. That is why I have taken the unusual step of providing the Minister with a copy of the Irish Language Act which I was pursuing as a private member. I am quite happy to share what I have done with her and perhaps my bill will provide her with the impetus and inspiration needed to forge ahead on this important issue.”

Bradley added, “I will await with interest the Minister’s response to my bill and will fully support her when she decides to bring it before the Assembly.”

Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=11884

Posted by on Apr 28 2012. Filed under News, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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