Unionist Irish language fears ‘may also be addressed’ – Mark Drakeford

Unionists in Northern Ireland have “legitimate concerns” over the Irish language however they “can be addressed”, the previous first minister of Wales has mentioned.

Mark Drakeford, the Welsh govt’s language secretary, mentioned political settlement on Irish can be “healing rather than divisive”.

It comes amid proceeding disputes at Stormont over the Irish language, together with rows about bilingual signage and its price.

Drakeford, a Welsh speaker who encourages bilingualism in Wales, mentioned unionists don’t have anything to concern if Irish “is done in a way that is sensitive to their concerns”.

Speaking to BBC News NI’s Sunday Politics programme, he mentioned language will have to no longer be used “as a political football”.

“I think, done the right way, concerns can be addressed,” he mentioned.

“That’s not to say that concerns aren’t legitimate.”

The construction of insurance policies in Northern Ireland to advertise the Irish language has lengthy been some degree of dispute between unionists and Irish nationalists.

In Wales, the Welsh language is extra broadly authorised and is regularly displayed along English in public areas, akin to on highway markings and side road indicators.

Drakeford, former chief of the Welsh Labour Party, mentioned he was once “perfectly comfortable” with having a Welsh and British identification.

Asked about unionist considerations over Irish, he mentioned that being “undoubtedly Welsh doesn’t diminish your sense of being part of the United Kingdom”.

But Drakeford mentioned unionists have “legitimate concerns” and are “entirely entitled to make sure that’s part of the public debate”.

Northern Ireland’s devolved govt is recently recruiting an Irish language commissioner and a commissioner for the Ulster-Scots and Ulster British custom.

The roles had been key portions of language regulation presented in 2022 by means of Westminster, which stepped in following a political stalemate at Stormont over the rules.

Interviews for the posts are because of happen this month, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly instructed the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday.

She added that she and First Minister Michelle O’Neill had been dedicated to creating the appointments “as soon as possible”.

Wales has had a Welsh language commissioner since 2012. Their powers come with investigating proceedings in opposition to public our bodies.

Efa Gruffudd Jones, who has held the function for greater than two years, mentioned that “languages don’t need to divide us”.

“Languages are special things, and people can express themselves differently in different languages,” she mentioned.

“So I would hope that people can respect other people’s languages and ensure that they can enjoy using it.”

Irish signage has been a key level of rivalry at Stormont, with events clashing over proposals to spend £150,000 on bilingual presentations at Belfast’s Grand Central Station.

The plan by means of the infrastructure minister is being challenged within the courts.

At native council degree, there have additionally been disputes over the advent of dual-language side road indicators in some neighbourhoods.

They were vandalised greater than 300 instances in 5 years.

Northern Ireland’s 11 native government have various insurance policies on putting in dual-language side road indicators.

In Belfast, proposals for a side road are thought to be by means of a council committee if 15% or extra of all occupants surveyed categorical fortify.

More than 200 were licensed because the coverage was once presented a couple of years in the past.

Of the ones licensed, the common survey gained about 34% of replies in favour, 4% in opposition to, 1% no desire, and 61% no reaction.

The figures had been got by means of BBC News NI via a Freedom of Information (FoI) request.

Belfast councillor Ron McDowell, deputy chief of Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), mentioned many unionists felt Irish was once being “thrust upon them”.

“People are vehemently opposed to the Irish dual-language street signs because they see it as a weapon – it’s a cultural warfare,” he mentioned.

“It’s being used by nationalist politics for identity politics – to mark territory.”

Ian Malcolm, from Lurgan in County Armagh, is a Protestant, a unionist and an Irish language instructor.

He mentioned that Irish “does not in any way diminish a person’s Britishness”, however will have to additionally no longer be “forced down anyone’s throat”.

Describing it as a “beautiful, wonderful language”, he added: “It tells us so much about who we are, about our history.

“I feel that everybody can include that, with out surrendering one inch of your unionism.”