Presbyterian warning: Irish act risks '˜devaluing the language'

Whilst it stressed the language should be respected, a document produced by the church in 2015 said proposals for a new law on Irish risked making community divisions worse, and added that it would be better to focus on providing more language courses as a means of promoting it instead of writing the proposals into a new law.

It was signed by both Rev Norman Hamilton (the convenor for the council for church in society) and Rev Trevor Gribben (the clerk of the general assembly).

It was drawn up in response to blueprints for an Irish language act put forward by then-culture minister Caral Ni Chuilin, a former IRA bomber.

She had set out a series of ideas for what such an act should contain in February 2015, and put them out to public consultation.

It is not clear to what extent these (and the other proposals Ms Ni Chuilin had tabled in 2015) make up the current list of demands which Sinn Fein is pressing for in the Stormont talks process although some unionists have voiced serious disquiet about what exactly may emerge from any deal with the DUP.

Her proposals included making Irish an official language with services provided “on a par with those available through English”, as well as the ability to use Irish in legal proceedings (including a clause that if a public body is involved in civil matters before a court, it must conduct all proceedings in Irish if the other party asks).

Her proposals also said provision should be made for road signs with “Irish content on a par with English”, and suggested a programme of positive discrimination to boost the number of Irish-speaking people in public sector.

A Presbyterian document in reaction to her proposals in springtime that year, written by the two leading clergymen and now seen by the News Letter, began by acknowledging that the language is a big part of the church’s history, adding: “Indeed, it is often said that Presbyterians helped to save the Irish language.”

However, it goes on to challenge Ms Ni Chuilin’s department (then called the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure) to set out exactly how its use can be “depoliticised”.

Reacting to the measures she had proposed, it stated that her set of proposals “does not represent the most appropriate and effective way forward and even risks devaluing the language in the eyes of many across Northern Ireland”.

It added: “With regard to the public administration aspects, for example, we are concerned that negative attitudes towards the language will increase if there is considerable expenditure on bureaucracy, such as translating documents that are rarely or never accessed, or an open-ended commitment to the use of Irish in tribunals or courts, potentially necessitating simultaneous translation.”

It stated that “it would be more appropriate to focus on the provision of learning programmes and resources” instead.

Sinn Fein has once more declined to confirm what specific measures it wants to see enacted in its Irish language act plans.

On Monday, the News Letter asked the party whether the proposals set out by Caral Ni Chuilin in 2015 are the same ones it is demanding at present.

It responded merely by stating that it wants “the British government and the DUP to implement the commitment to an Irish language act contained in the St Andrew’s Agreement”.

But whilst the 2006 agreement does contain a pledge to create such an act, it says nothing about what its actual contents might be.

On Tuesday, in response to being pressed a second time, it issued a statement from Caral Ni Chuilan which said: “The Irish language belongs to everyone.

“Many within the unionist community have no objection to legislation to protect the rights of Irish language speakers.

“Like the issue of marriage equality many unionists are ahead of their representatives on the Irish language.

“Sinn Féin remains committed to securing an Acht Gaeilge to protect the rights of the Irish language community.”

The results of the 2011 Census showed that out of all Northern Irish residents (aged three or over), 3.7% could speak, read, write and understand Irish. The figure for Ulster-Scots was 0.94%.