SF's new leader makes clear she'll only accept full Irish language act

The Sinn Fein leader, who talks about “our unionist brothers and sisters” yet lauds IRA terrorists who murdered them, got almost angry on RTE yesterday.

The reason? Arlene Foster clarifying that there will be no standalone Irish language act, and no legislation that facilitates the extreme demands of activists such as Conradh na Gaeilge, with regard to the public sector and signage.

Mrs Foster’s intervention was welcome, after days of alarming speculation as to what might be agreed.

Ms McDonald said she was “concerned” by Mrs Foster’s comments and added: “The DUP know like the rest of us what is required to reach a deal, Acht na Gaeilge, and indeed other rights are clearly part of that. And now is a time for decisiveness and for leadership and we can’t be distracted from that.

“In other words, the DUP have to make up their mind.”

The position is clear. If republicans do not get an Irish language act, there is no Stormont. They drop the word standalone, but republicans do not compromise on substance. The ransom of their political blackmail is concessions.

Comments from a range of people such as Jim Allister, Robin Swann, below, David McNarry on these pages yesterday, and now from the Orange Lodge for Queen’s University staff, students and alumni have made clear that a full range of unionism will not accept such a reward. Any mooted legislation will be carefully scrutinised in every clause.

Ms McDonald’s reaction on RTE showed the intransigence that lies under her friendly facade. She might want to look moderate to southern voters and those might be her instincts, but the truth is she presides over a party of wreckers.

It is today as hard as it has ever been to see how it will be possible to reconcile Sinn Fein’s demands with an agreement.

London again must prepare for British only direct rule, in which there is no increased say for Dublin, which would itself be a major victory for Sinn Fein tactics of the last year.

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