Sinn Fein calls on UK government to move Irish language laws through Westminster

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Mary Lou McDonald.

Q Radio News/PA

Sinn Fein has called on the British government to intervene and legislate for Irish language protections at Westminster.

However, the DUP has warned the government must not interfere with the devolved matters. 

The clock is ticking on the future of Stormont’s powersharing Executive following the resignation of Arlene Foster as first minister.

An ongoing stand-off between Sinn Fein and the DUP over Irish language legislation could topple the institutions unless resolution is found in the coming days.

Following a meeting with Secretary of State Brandon Lewis, Sinn Fein said the introduction of long awaited Irish language legislation is “the only way to resolve this issue”.

Speaking late on Monday, party leader Mary Lou McDonald said: “This evening we met with the British government and told them that they need to move the Irish language legislation through Westminster.

“A number of weeks ago the British government offered to legislate for Acht Gaeilge (Irish Language Act) in this way.

“At that time we said our preference was that Irish language legislation would be delivered through the Assembly and Executive as was agreed in New Decade New Approach.

“We have pursued that option vigorously over the last number of weeks.

“We have engaged intensively with the DUP and with party leader Edwin Poots. He has told us that they will not be delivering Acht in this mandate.

“This legislation was negotiated a year and a half ago and it is now incumbent on the British and Irish governments to act.

“This is the only way forward to finally resolve this issue.”

New DUP Education Minister Michelle McIlveen has urged Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis to be cautious around intervening in Stormont affairs to pass Irish language laws at Westminster.

Speaking during a visit to a Belfast primary school, Ms McIlveen said: “Obviously Sinn Fein have taken the opportunity with regards to the transition in order to be able to jump on this as an issue.

“There are other issues which are important for Northern Ireland, with regard to the economy and coming out of the pandemic, issues in relation to education, health and infrastructure.

“I appreciate that they have gone to the Secretary of State and we have seen the Secretary of State involve himself in devolved matters before, and so we urge caution in relation to that, particularly if he wants to respect the devolution package.

“This is a really fluid situation and obviously there are going to be discussions which are going to be held in the next number of days.”

Michelle McIlveen during her first engagement as Northern Ireland Minister for Education visiting Ballysillan Primary School and Nursery in north Belfast.

Meanwhile, The DUP's MP for East Antrim says the UK government must not intervene and to do so, would undermine devolution.

“Following the latest demand from (Sinn Fein president) Mary Lou McDonald, the Government must not interfere in devolved issues at the behest of Sinn Fein,” Mr Wilson said.

“The Government foisted the most liberal abortion laws in the British Isles on Northern Ireland. Such actions only served to undermine devolution. To force through the latest Sinn Fein wish list will cause further damage to the credibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

“Repeated interventions in devolved matters undermines the manifesto promises of Northern Ireland parties and rightly raises questions about the confidence that voters can have in those they elect if their promises can be causally overridden by the Secretary of State.

“Rather than running to HMG when they can’t get their way, republicans should respect our mandate. Sinn Fein is playing the politics of ransom and are placing culture above health, education and economic recovery.”

Meanwhile, a cross-party letter is calling on the Executive and British and Irish Governments to agree on a timetable for ratifying Irish language legislation within the current Stormont mandate.

It has been published today - and is signed by party Leaders from Alliance, the Green Party, People Before Profit, the SDLP and Sinn Féin.

 Irish language activist Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh said the community of Irish language speakers needs to be protected by legislation.

"We need to send a very clear message that we are outside shouting in. And that we need our community to be protected by legislation," he said.

"Same way minority language communities are protected across these islands and across Europe. We aren't the exception here. This conversation on language legislation is happening across the board," the campaigner added.

Arlene Foster - quit on Monday

Former DUP leader Arlene Foster’s resignation as first minister on Monday set a seven-day clock running within which her successor, Lagan Valley MLA Paul Givan, must be appointed.

However, the joint nature of the office Mrs Foster shared with Sinn Fein deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill, meant Ms O’Neill was automatically removed from her post when her partner in government quit.

She must also be renominated to her role within those seven days.

If one of the parties fails to renominate within the time period, a properly functioning executive cannot be formed and the UK Government assumes a legal responsibility to call a snap Assembly election.

Sinn Fein has made clear it will only engage in the renomination process if it was accompanied by the commencement of legislating for protections for Irish language speakers.

Irish language laws are an unfulfilled commitment within the 2020 deal that restored powersharing at Stormont.

New DUP leader Edwin Poots has vowed to implement all outstanding aspects of the New Decade, New Approach deal, including Irish language legislation.

However, he has declined to give Sinn Fein an assurance that he will move on the language laws in the current Assembly mandate, a key demand of the republican party, and had insisted there are other priorities the Executive should be focusing on, including the health service and economy.

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