O’Dowd pledges continuing support for Irish Language

Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd has pledged his continuing support to promote the Irish language on public services.

Speaking after a meeting with Conradh na Gaeilge the Minister said: 

“I want to see more visibility and promotion of Irish Language across public services and in our society. The bi-lingual display of passenger information on Glider and Metro services by Translink is a positive initiative. 

“My Department has in place a long-standing policy guide for the Irish Language which was developed under the European Charter for Regional Minority Languages and is reviewed annually.   This Charter also applies to all public authorities.  I encourage them to live up to their obligations under this Charter by promoting Irish and other minority languages. And the recently passed Identity and Language Act which recognises Irish as an official language. 

“I am committed to advancing the Irish language within my remit. So, I have asked officials to develop proposals for a project that would see the use of multi-lingual traffic signs piloted in the Gaeltacht Quarter in Belfast, which is a growing and thriving Irish language community.

“ Departments and public bodies all have a role to play in supporting and promoting the use of the Irish language. I accept there is more we can do, and I pledge to continue to promote the Irish language as widely as possible.”

Notes to editors: 

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