NI Executive won’t mount defence against High Court action over Irish language strategy failings

The NI Executive isn’t expected to mount a defence to the latest High Court challenge over its failure to bring forward an Irish language strategy.

The Executive has already been censured by the courts twice in the past decade over its failure to fulfil commitments first made in the St Andrews Agreementalmost 20 years ago.

The Irish News understands First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly have been unable to agree a joint position on the issue, meaning Thursday’s legal action against the Executive, brought by Conradh na Gaeilge over breaches of a legal obligation to adopt an Irish language strategy, will go unchallenged.

However, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, a joint respondent to the judicial review proceedings, is expected to defend his department’s record against the allegation that it has failed in its duty to promote and enhance the development of Irish.

The strategy has been in development under the direction of the Department for Communities since 2020.

The case is to be heard by Mr Justice McAlinden, who last September castigated the Executive about the row over Irish language signs at Belfast’s Grand Central Station.

The senior judge said the regional administration was “regarded as a laughing stock”.

Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew said the communities minister had so far failed in his responsibility to publish an Irish language strategy.

“But he clearly has his own strategy for the Irish language – a strategy to prevent the development of Irish and work against its ongoing growth on this island,” he said.

“It’s a strategy to undermine and attack Irish at every opportunity.”

Conradh na Gaeilge president Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin said Mr Lyons had had almost two years to finalise and sign-off on a strategy.

“Whatever way those delays are presented, it is outrageous that we are still waiting on a strategy, 20 years since it was promised to our community in 2006, with a statutory duty being placed on the Executive,” he said.

“Ultimately, a progressive Irish language Strategy, combined with best practice standards from the new Irish language commissioner, would address many of the policy gaps and ongoing public debates across our society regarding the promotion of Irish.”

In 2017, the High Court found the Executive’s failure to adopt an Irish language strategy contravened the 1998 Northern Ireland Act.

In 2022, Mr Justice Scoffield found the Executive had continued to breach a legal obligation in relation to an Irish language strategy.

The Executive Office and Department for Communities have yet to comment.