Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill

Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill

The purpose of the Bill is to:

● Deliver a carefully balanced package of identity and language measures as negotiated by the Northern Ireland parties under the New Decade, New Approach

Deal. This will recognise and celebrate Northern Ireland’s national and cultural identities and accommodate cultural differences.

● Enhance and develop the Ulster Scots/Ulster British tradition in Northern Ireland and recognise and protect the Irish language.

The main benefits of the Bill would be:

● Upholding a key element of the New Decade, New Approach Deal by legislating to deliver a new cultural framework to encourage reconciliation, tolerance and meaningful dialogue between those with different national and cultural identities.

● Ensuring appropriate support for the respective needs of the Ulster Scots/Ulster

British tradition and of the Irish language in Northern Ireland.

● Providing a basis on which Northern Ireland can move forwards on matters of national and cultural identity.

The main elements of the Bill are:

● Creating a new Office of Identity and Cultural Expression that will provide guidance for public authorities on a series of national and cultural identity principles set out in the New Decade, New Approach Deal.

● Creating two new Commissioners who will be appointed by the First Minister and deputy First Minister acting jointly:

o a new Commissioner who will enhance and develop the language, arts and literature of the Ulster Scots and Ulster British tradition in Northern Ireland.

They will do this by providing guidance and advice to public authorities, and distributing publicity material; and

o a new Irish Language Commissioner to protect and enhance the use of the

Irish language and develop a set of best practice standards for public authorities in Northern Ireland.

● Providing official recognition in law to the Irish Language in Northern Ireland and repealing the Administration of Justice (Ireland) Act 1737.

● Placing a duty on the Northern Ireland Department of Education to encourage and facilitate the use and understanding of Ulster Scots in the education system.

● Safeguarding the delivery of these commitments by giving the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland step-in powers to ensure that they are implemented by the

Northern Ireland Executive.

Territorial extent and application

● The Bill will extend and apply to Northern Ireland.

Key facts

● The Northern Ireland Executive was restored on 12 January 2020 after a period of three years without Ministers, during which the Assembly did not sit. Matters of national and cultural identity were one area of contention during this period and in the negotiations to restore the Executive.

● Political talks took place in 2017, 2018 and 2019 with the aim of restoring the

Northern Ireland Executive. The talks involved the Northern Ireland Parties and the UK and Irish governments in accordance with the three stranded approach set out in the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. Political talks concluded in

January 2020 with the publication of the New Decade, New Approach Deal by the

UK and Irish governments. On that basis, Ministers were appointed and the

Executive restored.

● The UK Government has already made significant progress on our commitments relating to culture and identity within the New Decade, New Approach Deal. We have announced £2 million in funding to Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish

Language and Ulster Scots Broadcast Funds and continued preparations to recognise Ulster Scots as a National Minority under the Council of Europe

Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

● In view of the Executive’s inaction in bringing forward legislation to deliver on the identity and language commitments, the UK Government has committed to do so.