Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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347. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade an bhfuil sé i gceist aige, ag a Roinn nó ag an Rialtas ceist Acht na Gaeilge a chur i gcroílár aon phléití a tharlóidh ó thuaidh sna seachtainí agus sna míonna atá amach romhainn. [5937/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Tá roinnt eilimintí de Chomhaontú Aoine an Chéasta agus Chomhaontú Chill Rímhinn nach bhfuil curtha i bhfeidhm go hiomlán go fóill, iad siúd a bhaineann le hAcht Teanga ina measc. Is é seasamh daingean an Rialtais ná go gcaithfidh Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta agus na Comhaontuithe comharba a bheith curtha i bhfeidhm ina hiomlán, agus feictear é seo sa Chlár do Rialtas Comhpháirtíochta. Rinneadh foráil i gComhaontú Chill Rímhinn i 2006 d’Acht Teanga i dTuaisceart Éireann a bheith achtaithe ag Rialtas na Breataine.

Rinne Rialtais na hÉireann i ndiaidh a chéile tacú le hAcht Teanga agus leanann muid ar aghaidh ag obair ar a son. Faraor, go dtí seo ní raibh aontas laistigh den Fheidhmeannas ar ábhar atá anois déabhlóidithe chun é a thabhairt chun cinn.

I gComhaontú Teach Stormont in 2014, rinne an Rialtas agus Rialtas na Breataine, ag cuimhniú ar na gealltanais ó na Comhaontuithe a tháinig roimhe, eadóirseacht don gá le meas agus aitheantas don Ghaeilge i dTuaisceart Éireann.

Déanann Comhaontú Teach Stormont foráil i gcomhair cruinnithe athbhreithnithe rialta idir an Rialtas, Rialtas na Breataine agus ceannairí páirtithe an Fheidhmeannais. Ag an dá Cruinniú Athbhreithnithe dheireanach – an ceann is déanaí i Mí na Nollag – bhí an deis agamsa aird a tharraigt ar na gealltanais nach bhfuil curtha i bhfeidhm, ina measc iad siúd a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge, agus d’iarr mé go bhfanfadh siad ar an gclár oibre i gcomhair cruinnithe athbhreithnithe sa todhchaí.

Leanfaidh an Rialtas ar aghaidh ag tacú leis an nGaeilge ar bhonn uile-oileáin, ag cur san áireamh an tacaíocht airgeadais a chuireann muid ar fáil d’obair Fhoras na Gaeilge.

Leanfaidh an Rialtas ar aghaidh freisin ag dul i ngleic le Rialtas na Breataine agus na páirtithe polaitiúla i dTuaisceart Éireann le cur i bhfeidhm iomlán na forálacha de Chomhaontú Aoine an Chéasta agus na Comhaontuithe comharba, ina measc iad siúd ag baint leis an nGaeilge.

REPLY

A number of elements of the Good Friday and St Andrews Agreements have not yet been fully implemented, including in relation to an Irish Language Act. The Government’s firm position is that the Good Friday Agreement and the successor Agreements must be implemented in full, and this is reflected in the Programme for Partnership Government.

An Irish Language Act in Northern Ireland to be enacted by the British Government was provided for in the St Andrews Agreement in 2006.

Successive Irish Governments have advocated in favour of an Irish Language Act and continue to do so. Regrettably to date, there has been no agreement within the Executive to take forward what is now a devolved matter.

In the 2014 Stormont House Agreement, the Government and the British Government, recalling the commitments from previous Agreements, endorsed the need for respect for and recognition of the Irish language in Northern Ireland.

The Stormont House Agreement provides for regular review meetings with the participation of the Government, the British Government and the Executive party leaders. At the last two Review Meetings – most recently in December – I had the opportunity to draw attention to these outstanding commitments, including in relation to the Irish Language, and asked that they remain on the agenda for future review meetings.

The Government will continue to support the Irish language on an all-island basis, including through financial support for the work of Foras na Gaeilge.

The Government will also continue to engage with the British Government and the political parties in Northern Ireland to seek the full implementation of all provisions of the Good Friday Agreement and successor Agreements, including those relating to the Irish language.