Dup will never allow Irish language act

[armaghniac]

Transfers look key here and there's no love lost between SF and SDLP in these parts and transfers between the two are low.

You would hope that they would get over it and ensure 3 seats for nationalists.

[T Fearon]

Why is there a need for an Irish Language Act? Are there not hundreds of Irish language classes (apart from those in schools) happening day and daily,including even classes for Protestants in East Belfast? Has there been any impediment ever preventing anyone from learning Irish?

[Farrandeelin]

Lads and lassies - vote all the way down the ballot paper till you come to DUP.

I'm sure all gaaboarders will do that anyway!

[Orior]

Why is there a need for an Irish Language Act? Are there not hundreds of Irish language classes (apart from those in schools) happening day and daily,including even classes for Protestants in East Belfast? Has there been any impediment ever preventing anyone from learning Irish?

Are you not friends with Linda Ervine on Facebook? You could ask her.

http://www.ebm.org.uk/turas/

[T Fearon]

I'm not friends with her,but it still does not explain the rationale for an Irish language Act as there are classes galore,even in East Belfast

[general_lee]

I'm not friends with her,but it still does not explain the rationale for an Irish language Act as there are classes galore,even in East Belfast

To bring Northern Ireland in line with other legislation in the rest of U.K. If it's good enough for actual British people, why not Northern Ireland?

[T Fearon]

Is it really necessary? People can and do learn Irish.Why is this necessary?

[armaghniac]

Is it really necessary? People can and do learn Irish.Why is this necessary?

It is necessary after 900 years of colonial suppression to have some official recognition of the native language of the country.

[Hereiam]

It took just twenty years for the british to nearly wipe the irish language from the north. Think about that.

[T Fearon]

It seems to me that the language is thriving,with many Protestants attending classes in East Belfast even,all in public funded buildings,so I don't see any need for legislation.Far more important things to worry about like the Economy,Health Service etc,rather than the DUP and SF distractions like this.

[oisinog]

It seems to me that the language is thriving,with many Protestants attending classes in East Belfast even,all in public funded buildings,so I don't see any need for legislation.Far more important things to worry about like the Economy,Health Service etc,rather than the DUP and SF distractions like this.

My understanding is that the Irsih language act is to be brought in to help re-establish the languange very much the same way the Welsh language act helped with the welsh language

"The Welsh Language Act 1993, is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which put the Welsh language on an equal footing with the English language in Wales with regard to the public sector"

[Take Your Points]

It took just twenty years for the british to nearly wipe the irish language from the north. Think about that.

Really.  If you want people to have a love for their culture and language you do it through your education system and back it up with the work within the wide range of voluntary cultural organisations such as the GAA, CCE, Gael Linn, etc. that exist across the country.

The reality is that within primary schools the curriculum has changed drastically over the last 30 years with the introduction of the national curriculum by the UK government that introduced new aspects to the curriculum; demanded much more time for core subjects; and by doing so reduced the time for PE, music and the wider curriculum.  This removed the discretion of the teacher to develop the cultural elements in schools.  I was lucky enough to attend Greenpark CBS during the 1960s and it was an example of how the Irish culture, history and language could be developed alongside Gaelic games.  This was repeated across the country in most Catholic primary schools.  Today, there is barely time for any teacher to spend time on these aspects of providing a true education with the emphasis on a prescribed curriculum, heavy duty assessment of children from Year 3 to 7 and slavery to planning out any spontaneity of the school day.

3 SF ministers of education over the last 10 years never addressed this situation and developed a truly localised curriculum, returning responsibility to the teachers and allowing time for both communities to develop their culture, heritage and games.  Instead, Irish has been concentrated in Irish Medium schools for a very tiny percentage of the population and the others are largely excluded from any formalised emphasis on language and cultural development. 

In secondary schools, Irish fights for a place with French, Spanish, German and Mandarin.  Luckily Latin has largely dropped off the curriculum.  Where choice of language is provided to parents in such schools a majority do not choose Irish and only very small numbers study Irish beyond third year to GCSE with even smaller numbers at A level.  There is no cultural curriculum to allow languages to be taught on an oral basis along with the cultural aspects associated with the language.  Either GCSE or nothing.  Most will be able to provide examples of being taught Irish in secondary school that does not make great reading. Again, 3 SF education ministers made no effort to bring such changes to the mass of children in schools.  Instead there are less than a handful of IM secondary schools. 

So, if there was a real desire to develop the language and provide a wide base for the demand for an Irish Language Act of people who are immersed in their language and culture.  Instead we have political representatives telling people if you can understand or say a few words of Irish then tick the box of Irish speaker in the household in the census return which not provides the basis for anti Irish commentators to deride the census return figures for Irish speaking households in N.Ireland. The lack of cultural education in our schools causes people to focus only on the use of the language as a communication medium instead of realising that the use of Irish and the associated culture is all around everyone in N.Ireland.

[vallankumous]

Couldnt agree more.
Shame on Unionists to continue to vote for these b#stards no matter what and shame on Nationalists for not being bothered enought to vote them out, What other society would just accept such sectarianism, racism, homophobia, corruption, incompetence etc etc. With such ridiculous apathy most nationalists deserve all they get and have no right to moan over Brexit, marching or whatever else if they dont bother to do anything about it and shame on the British government for just sitting back and letting the DUP do whatever the feck they want.

Why do northerners think they're specail?
This is supported all over the world.

This is why Brexit, Trump etc couldn't be predicted.
All the media and academic types (the ones in positions to air their views nationally) thinking they are above it all and therefore so is society.
Living in the 20% or 5% bubbles thinking they are trend setters.

[No wides]

Those posting their disgust here, can you all speak Irish, do your kids attend naiscoil, bhunscoil, meánscoil - or do you just want this act to give two fingers to the prods?

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Wrong any MP in England that would come up with half the shit the average DUPer does would be hounded by the media and public until they were forced to make a grovelling apology and resign. The extraordinary thing is Cameron, May or whoever seem to give Unionists a pass over the most ridiculous things something they wouldnt do for their own party members and for what to secure 9 votes out of 650 are they completely mad!!