SINN Féin MEP Martina Anderson has welcomed a recommendation from the Council of Europe for the immediate introduction of legislation to protect the rights of Irish speakers.
Martina Anderson said: “The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe have published its recommendation that the British government should implement legislation to protect the rights of Irish speakers.
“It has called on the British government to implement the framework convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and that includes recommendations for Irish language legislation and increased protections for the rights of the Travelling community.
“This recommendation is welcome at a time when the issue of an Acht Gaeilge is to the fore and it reinforces the need for the British government to implement an Irish language act s previously agreed in the St Andrew’s Agreement.
“The Irish government too, as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, also needs to act to ensure that the rights of both Irish speakers and Travellers are protected.”
