{"id":23657,"date":"2021-10-26T12:17:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-26T16:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23657"},"modified":"2021-10-27T13:20:47","modified_gmt":"2021-10-27T17:20:47","slug":"oneill-expects-uk-government-to-bring-forward-irish-language-legislation-next-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23657","title":{"rendered":"O’Neill Expects UK Government To Bring Forward Irish Language Legislation Next Week"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Deputy First Minister Michelle O\u2019Neill (PA)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Deputy First Minister Michelle O\u2019Neill has said she expects the UK government to table the Irish language legislation next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Labour has also promised to support the bill as it passes through the parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking in Belfast after addressing the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) conference on Tuesday, Sinn F\u00e9in vice president Ms O\u2019Neill, said, as a New Decade, New Approach political commitment, it must be delivered upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said: \u201cUnfortunately the DUP reneged on that commitment, and we had to find a solution and a way around the DUP, that was delivered upon by the British government, so we expect to see that legislation tabled over the course of the next week or so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms O\u2019Neill said she will meet with Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and Brexit minister Lord Frost later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also on Tuesday, a group of cross-party MPs and campaigners gathered outside the UK Houses of Parliament to pressure the British government to deliver legislation quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government pledged to press ahead with legislating for Irish language protections at Westminster after failed attempts at Stormont, with Mr Lewis saying the move would come at some point in October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government previously faced calls from the DUP not to press ahead with the legislation while unionist concerns about Brexit\u2019s Northern Ireland Protocol remain unaddressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the end of October looms, supporters and members of Conradh na Gaeilge, a group pushing for the legislation, gathered outside the Palace of Westminster on Tuesday to prompt the government into taking quicker action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Niall Comer, president of Conradh na Gaeilge and lecturer in Irish at Ulster University, said the legislation was \u201cvital\u201d for future generations of Irish speakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said: \u201cIn 2006 an Irish Language Act was promised as part of the St Andrews agreement, and we\u2019ve been waiting since then for this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEarlier this year, the Secretary of State, Brandon Lewis stated that if the Stormont Government was not able to bring through the Irish language legislation, that this would be brought through Westminster, and if this hadn\u2019t been done by the end of September that it would be brought through a month later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is the reason we\u2019re here now \u2013 to make sure that the government honors its commitments and that an Irish Language Act will actually be brought through Westminster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s vital that this legislation is passed and is done quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Finucane, Sinn F\u00e9in MP for Belfast North, accused the DUP of blocking previous attempts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said: \u201cIdeally Stormont should be the place to legislate for this but what we have witnessed at Stormont over a number of years is one party, particularly the DUP, using their veto to block equality legislation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat we now want is for the British government to step up and stand over their commitment, which was that if Stormont didn\u2019t legislate for this then it would be legislated for here in London, so we want to see that delivered as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Louise Haigh announced Labour would support the bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said: \u201cThis was agreed at New Decade, New Approach, and it is therefore extremely disappointing that this has not been delivered. I believe it would be an important step to build confidence in a shared future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNevertheless, in the absence of a move by the Northern Ireland Assembly, Labour will support the passage of legislation should it come before parliament in the Autumn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Share this:<\/h3>