Letter: Pol Deeds may need to be reminded of parts of identity act which place checks on his enthusiasm over Irish language
A letter from Dr Paul Kingsley:
The Irish language commissioner, Pol Deeds, is reported as saying of Jamie Bryson, “Although he has poison and enmity, I have law”.
He is presumably referring to the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022, which empowers him to suggest best practice standards for the use of the Irish language by public bodies (incorporated as Section 7B of the Northern Ireland Act 1998).
However, he also needs to be aware of other parts of the act which place checks on his enthusiasm. Section 7A places on public bodies a legal obligation to pay due regard to the national and cultural identity principles. These include the obligation on people to “express and celebrate that identity in a manner that takes account of the sensitivities of those with different national and cultural identities” par.78F(2).
I hope that the other commissioners and the deputy first minister will be drawing this to his attention if he attempts to impose the Irish language in an insensitive manner.
Dr Paul Kingsley, Belfast BT4