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Minority Rights: Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement

Implementations

Minority Rights – 1998

After the signing of the accord, the government was committed to minority rights related to the use of language. The Northern Ireland Act (1998), which came into effect on 19 November 1998, outlined strategies for promoting the Irish language and Ulster language (Article 28D). But, the government had yet to sign the Charter recognizing Irish, Scottish, Ulster and other languages.

Minority Rights – 1999

To promote minority languages, the government set up Center Community Relations Unit to come up with a language use policy for Irish, Ulster and the languages of other communities. In December 1999, the North/South Language Implementation Body came into effect to enforce government’s commitment to support linguistic diversity as specified in the accord.¹“The Good Friday Agreement: Culture,” BBC News, accessed February 7, 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/agreement/culture/irish2.sh…

Minority Rights – 2000

The UK government signed the charter for Regional or Minority Languages on 2 March 2000. After the signing, the government recognized the Irish, Ulster, Scots, Welsh, etc. languages.²

Ibid.

Minority Rights – 2001

The government on 27 March 2001 ratified the Council of Europe Charter and recognized Irish, Welsh and Scottish language for Part III, which suggests commitment of the government to adopt measures to promote the use of local or minority languages.¹ In 2001, a pilot scheme for Irish Language TV and film production started.

Ibid.

Minority Rights – 2002

A minority rights provision in the accord was implemented. Between 1998 and 2001, government took various measures to promote linguistic diversity.