Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 732: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress made in relation to the programme for Government proposal to support the introduction of a languages act in Northern Ireland as provided for in the St. Andrews Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47873/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The St. Andrews Agreement 2006 included a commitment to bring forward an Irish Language Act for Northern Ireland, reflecting on the experience in Wales and our own experience in Ireland. It also called on the incoming Northern Ireland Executive to work to enhance and protect the development of the Irish language. The British legislation giving effect to the St. Andrews Agreement included a specific requirement on the Executive to adopt a strategy setting out how it proposed to enhance and protect the development of the Irish language.

Upon restoration of devolution in May 2007, the enhancement and protection of the Irish language in Northern Ireland became a devolved matter for consideration by the parties in the Executive. My colleague Minister Ó Cuív has discussed progress in this regard with his counterpart in Northern Ireland, the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Mr. Gregory Campbell MLA, and his predecessor, Mr. Edwin Poots MLA, within the framework of the North South Ministerial Council. Within the Northern Ireland Assembly I am aware that Minister Campbell gave an initial briefing to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure last December on his plans for an 'Indigenous or Regional Minority Language Strategy' and I look forward to further progress on this initiative.

The Government continues to follow developments closely in relation to the proposed Act, as well as the overall enhancement and protection of the Irish Language in Northern Ireland. This issue has been raised in discussions which my predecessor, Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D., and I have had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mr Shaun Woodward MP. The Government remains fully committed to the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and St Andrews Agreement, including the provisions relating to the Irish Language.