Proposals for the appointment of Irish and Ulster-British commissioners submitted to O'Neill and Little Pengelly

Stormont’s Executive Office (TEO) committee met on Wednesday to scrutinise officials from the department and examine the ‘first day brief’ given to ministers.

Sinn Fein’s Carál Ní Chuilín questioned officials on why Irish language and Ulster Scots bodies were classified as “long term goals” in civil service documents when legislation had already been passed.

Mr Gareth Johnston – TEO’s Director of Good Relations and Inclusion Directorate – said civil servants had been working in the absence of an executive on “practical arrangements” that would be needed to bring those bodies into effect. He said a business case and practical matters such as job descriptions had been worked on.

Mr Johnston said that in order to make appointments of commissioners “there would need to be ministerial decisions made” and that this was envisaged soon.

The Identity and Language (Northern Ireland Bill was passed by Parliament in 2022. The legislation gives the Irish language official status in Northern Ireland and allows for its use in courts.

The legislation created an Office of Identity and Cultural Expression, an Irish Language commissioner and a commissioner for the Ulster-Scots and Ulster British tradition. None of these bodies have been created, or their positions filled as of yet. However, the comments from Mr Johnston suggest that

When the legislation was being discussed in Parliament, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said “The bill will fail in its objective to promote respect in Northern Ireland because those of us who come from an Ulster-British, Ulster-Scots background do not feel this bill adequately respects and protects our identity."

The UK government brought the legislation, which was agreed as part of the New Decade New Approach deal in January 2020. The deal ended a three year Sinn Fein boycott of the institutions.

Mary Lou McDonald hailed the “breakthrough” saying: “We will finally see the repeal of archaic anti-Irish legislation and replaced with official recognition of the Irish language to enable people to access public services and the courts through Irish”.