Publications

NIHRC submission to the Council of Europe Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages - Parallel Report for the Sixth Periodic Report of the UK and NI

Date produced: February 2024.

Below is a summary of the Commission's recommendations and messages.

You can also download the full document through the links provided.

The NI Human Rights Commission advises and recommends:

3.4 The Committee of Experts may wish to request information from the NI Office, the NI Executive and Treasury to satisfy itself that necessary resources are allocated and implementation achieved in accordance with the commitments in the Identity and Language (NI) Act 2022.

3.8 The Committee of Experts may wish to ask the NI Executive what steps are being taken to support all relevant public authorities in NI to ensure compliance with the Identity and Language (NI) Act 2022 when discharging their functions.

3.10 The Committee of Experts may wish to ask the NI Executive what steps are being taken to ensure the independence of the Commissioners created by the Identity and Language (NI) Act 2022. This may be achieved by an express policy statement or by imposing conditions on Ministerial directions.

3.12 The Committee of Experts may wish to ask the NI Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that:

• public authorities take seriously the findings and recommendations of the Commissioners created by the Identity and Language (NI) Act 2022. This may be achieved by ensuring that failure to co-operate could lead to specific penalties.

• individuals have access to specific remedial action in relation to the Identity and Language (NI) Act 2022.

3.16 The Committee of Experts may wish to ask the NI Executive what specific steps are being taken to ensure that the new statutory bodies created by the Identity and Language (NI) Act 2022 do not conflate Ulster Scots language and culture with a distinct political identity.

3.20 The Committee of Experts may wish to ask the NI Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that the rights of Ulster Scots speakers under the ECRML are fully and consistently protected across all NI Council areas.

3.23 The Committee of Experts may wish to seek assurances from the NI Executive that the necessary steps are taken to promptly introduce and implement an Irish Language Strategy in NI. This should include meaningful engagement with the Irish Language Commissioner, Irish language speakers and their representative organisations.

3.26 The Committee of Experts may wish to seek assurance from the NI Executive that the necessary steps are taken to promptly introduce and implement an Ulster Scots Language, Heritage and Culture Strategy in NI. This should include meaningful engagement with the Ulster Scots Commissioner, individuals that identify as Ulster Scots and their representative organisations.

3.30 The Committee of Experts may wish to ask the NI Office what specific steps have been taken to repeal the Administration of Justice (Language) Act (Ireland) 1737, as required by the Identity and Language (NI) Act 2022.

4.10 The Committee of Experts may wish to seek assurance from the NI Executive that the necessary steps will be taken and resources provided to implement the findings of recent reviews regarding the provision of Irish medium education.

4.12 The Committee of Experts may wish to seek further information from the NI Executive as to which national statutory texts will be made available in Irish.

4.18 The Committee of Experts may wish to ask the NI Executive what is being done to ensure that the rights of Irish language users are fully and consistently protected across Northern Ireland.

4.25 The Committee of Experts may wish to ask the NI Executive:

• what measures are being taken to overcome the politicisation of language issues in NI; and

• how it will fulfil its obligations to promote the use of regional and minority languages in street names and other topographical indicators in the absence of political consensus in NI.

4.31 The Committee of Experts may wish to ask the NI Office and the NI Executive what specific measures are being taken to strengthen the provision of Irish language broadcasting in NI. This should include steps to secure sustainable funding that is proportionate to the increase in the use of Irish across NI.