Local council policies currently dictate the rules on erecting bilingual street signs in the north. Councils should take pro-active measures to include Irish on street signs when there is demonstrable demand from local residents within that street.

An Dream Dearg commits to fight for the full implementation of the language legislation that was promised under the New Decade New Approach Agreement in January 2020, for local delivery by September, and failing that, for the British Government to honour their latest public commitment.

The participation of young people in our campaign is not surprising; they have spent most of their lives protesting and fighting for basic amenities and rights that are afforded to their English-speaking peers, particularly in the Irish-medium youth sector.

The continued growth of the Irish medium education is a source of great pride for us. We have frequently stood with Gaelscoils throughout the north as they have consistently challenged the failure of the Department of Education to uphold their statutory duty to ‘encourage and facilitate’ Irish medium education.

Irish is an important component of our heritage here and so signage, particularly in our shared spaces, should include Irish. It provides a neutral opportunity for people to engage with the language. Our right to see and read Irish does not infringe upon anyone else’s rights.

An Dream Dearg’s #AchtAnois campaign is rooted in the ideals of language rights as human rights; it calls for a comprehensive, standalone, rights-based Irish Language Act, something which was promised in the St. Andrew’s Agreement of 2006.