Council of Europe urges UK to promote use of Irish language in Northern Ireland
THE Council of Europe has called on the UK to make better efforts to promote the use of the Irish language in Northern Ireland. Experts at the organisation have published a report on the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man with regards to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Their findings show that the UK needs to “adopt language strategies for Irish and Ulster Scots, in particular, and to strengthen the teaching of all regional or minority languages in the UK”. The report adds that Irish needs to be “further promoted” in the North. “Despite new legislation enacted in Northern Ireland, language issues remain politicised, and efforts should be made in order to further promote both Irish and Ulster Scots despite political tensions,” the report authors state. “Overall, the Committee found that there is a good framework for protecting regional or minority languages, but there is an over-reliance on volunteers for the development of some languages – notably Cornish, Scots and Ulster Scots – and…
19 Sep 00:00 · The Irish Post