McCausland meets with delegation from POBAL and Irish Language community

Culture Minister, Nelson McCausland today met with Janet Muller, CEO of POBAL and a delegation from the Irish Language community.

The Minister welcomed the opportunity to meet with the representatives and said: “Northern Ireland has a rich cultural diversity and all regional or minority languages are equally important and must be recognised and respected.

"I am committed to bringing forward a strategy for the Ulster-Scots culture, heritage and language and for the Irish language, as set out in the St Andrew's Agreement. I am considering a number of issues surrounding the protection and development of Ulster-Scots and Irish. I believe that the people of Northern Ireland support the aspiration of a shared and better future and that such a future must be based on the principles of equality, diversity and interdependence. I am determined that the principle of equality will be one of the fundamental principles of the strategy."

The Minister concluded: "The issues that confront Ulster-Scots and Irish are no different than issues that face minority languages around the world. I am keen to see languages de-politicised and to address the contention surrounding minority languages in Northern Ireland. I believe that the Minority Language Strategy will do just that."

Notes to Editors:

Media enquiries should be addressed to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure Press Office Tel 028 9051 5045 or email press.office@dcalni.gov.uk . Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.