Politics

Edwin Poots to ‘expedite’ Irish language legislation for North

Sinn Féin’s O’Neill demands action on issue ahead of re-nomination of first minister

DUP leader Edwin Poots has pledged to implement Irish language legislation at Stormont as quickly as possible. Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP via Getty Images.

Fri Jun 4 2021 - 16:33

DUP leader Edwin Poots has pledged to implement Irish language legislation at Stormont as quickly as possible.

Mr Poots said he wished to “expedite” the rollout of all outstanding aspects of the New Decade, New Approach agreement that re-established powersharing last year.

Mr Poots said Stormont leaders have also agreed to convene a summit to tackle spiralling healthcare waiting lists in the North.

Sinn Féin has been pressing Mr Poots for a firm commitment on introducing the cultural elements of the agreement, which include protections for Irish and Ulster Scots. They will be delivered in the form of amendments to the 1998 Northern Ireland Act.

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Sinn Féin wants those legislative changes passed before the end of the current Assembly mandate next spring. While Mr Poots did not specify a timetable, he said he wanted the matter dealt with swiftly.

“I am committed to fulfilling all aspects of New Decade, New Approach,” he told BBC Radio Ulster.

“I’ve indicated that I will ask my first minister, whoever that happens to be, to expedite all aspects of New Decade, New Approach in a timely fashion and as quickly as possible, and that is my commitment to the people of Northern Ireland.”

Mr Poots added: “We are quite happy to fulfil those cultural amendments to the 1998 Act and we will expedite that as quickly as possible.”

Later on Friday, Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill made clear that her party saw delivery of legal protections for Irish language speakers as a key pre-requisite for sharing power with the new-look DUP leadership team.

Ms O’Neill declined to confirm whether her party would refuse to re-nominate to the deputy first minister’s role without a DUP guarantee on the language issue.

When ousted DUP leader Arlene Foster resigns as First Minister, Ms O’Neill is automatically removed from her post as well – as the joint office can only function if both positions are filled.

Both parties will then need to re-nominate their respective first and deputy first ministers within seven days.

If one of the parties declines to re-nominate, then a functioning Executive could not be formed and a snap election would become likely.

There are concerns the forthcoming ministerial changes could become the source of political contention, potentially posing a risk to the stability of Stormont.

Ms O’Neill said Sinn Féin had told Mr Poots in “no uncertain terms around what’s required in order to be back around the table and us all to be able to do business together”.

“I want to be there, I’m committed to powersharing,” she told a press conference in Coalisland, Co Tyrone.

Ms O’Neill added: “The DUP have some thinking to do, I think, over the course of the next number of days.”

The Sinn Féin vice-president said there was a “small window of opportunity” to introduce the language legislation in the Assembly before the summer recess.

Failure to progress the issue before the summer would make it more difficult to pass the legislation in the current Assembly mandate – one of Sinn Féin’s main demands.

Ms O’Neill said her party leader Mary Lou McDonald had asked for further talks with Mr Poots on the Irish language issue next week.

“The cornerstone of us all coming back round the Executive table again (in 2020) was the Irish Language Act and that must now be delivered,” said Ms O’Neill.

Ms O’Neill added: “The time for bluster and bluff is over. These commitments were made by all political parties, including the DUP – it’s now time to deliver them.

Ms O’Neill also welcomed a commitment from Mr Poots to re-engage with North-South political meetings.

DUP Ministers have not attended several recent North-South Ministerial Council (NSMC) sectoral meetings – however, Mr Poots had insisted there was no party policy to boycott them.

On Thursday evening, Mr Poots travelled to Dublin for talks with Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

Afterwards he committed to attend the next NSMC plenary meeting in Dublin later in June.

Ms O’Neill said: “I welcome the fact that they’ve clearly had a change of heart around the North-South ministerial meetings but it was untenable for them to continue in that vein.

“You can’t be in the Executive and then refuse to be part of the North-South Ministerial Council meetings, they are an integral part. One doesn’t work without the other.

“So, I think they were running out of road with that strategy.”

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