Publications

Mid-cycle parallel submission to the Council of Europe Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages for the sixth periodic examination of the UK

Summary of recommendations:

3.10 The Committee of Experts may wish to recommend the Northern Ireland Executive to take urgent action to develop, implement, and monitor a well-resourced Irish Language Strategy, in consultation with the Northern Ireland Irish Language Commissioner, Irish language speakers, and their representative organisations.

3.11 The Committee of Experts may wish to recommend the Northern Ireland Executive to take urgent action to develop, implement, and monitor a well-resourced Ulster-Scots Language, Heritage and Culture Strategy, in consultation with the Northern Ireland Commissioner for the Ulster Scots and the Ulster British tradition, Ulster Scots language speakers and their representative organisations.

4.9 The NIHRC welcomes the significant progress made in commencing and implementing the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022, particularly the appointment of the Director of the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression, the Irish Language Commissioner, and the Commissioner for the Ulster Scots and Ulster British tradition.

4.10 The Committee of Experts may wish to recommend to the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that the offices of the Irish Language Commissioner and the Commissioner for the Ulster Scots and Ulster British tradition are adequately resourced to fulfil their legal mandates effectively, including the implementation of their respective complaint mechanisms.

5.14 The Committee of Experts may wish to seek assurance from the Northern Ireland Executive that adequate resources are allocated to address the pressures facing the Irish-medium teaching sector, while ensuring the prompt development of an Irish-Medium Education Strategy that includes provisions for Irish-medium Special Education Needs.

5.21 The Committee of Experts may wish to request confirmation from the Northern Ireland Executive that appropriate measures and resources are in place to meet the Department of Education’s statutory duty to promote and support the use and understanding of Ulster Scots in the education system.

6.7 The Committee of Experts may wish to ask the Northern Ireland Executive what measures it is implementing to address the politicisation of minority language promotion and to foster mutual understanding in Northern Ireland.

6.8 The Committee of Experts may wish to ask the Northern Ireland Executive to clarify how it intends to develop and implement mechanisms for collecting data to assess the effectiveness of the minority language legal framework in promoting and fostering mutual understanding of language issues in Northern Ireland.

7.6 The Committee of Experts may wish to seek confirmation from the UK Government that proposals for a renewed BBC Royal Charter will clearly set out strategies to promote and ensure sustainable funding for Irish and Ulster Scots broadcasting.