Statement by TUV party chairman and East Londonderry representative Jordan Armstrong:
“The Official Languages Bill announced in the Republic this week should act as a wake up call to Unionists who have grown complacent on the issue. Under the proposals, 20% of new recruits to the public sector will have to be proficient in Irish by 2030.
“While quotas for Irish speakers in the public sector are not included in the Irish language legalisation which is proposed in New Decade New Approach, it does provide for an Irish Language Commissioner with statutory powers to “promote and facilitate” the use of Irish throughout the public sector. This zealot will set standards that every public body must meet in the use of Irish in the delivery of its services. Such will bring obvious recruitment advantage to Irish speakers across the public service. If public bodies are required to promote and deliver their services in Irish, then, clearly staff fluent in the language will be required and preferred.
“The direction of travel when it comes to language legislation whether it be in Scotland, Wales or the Republic is clear. However tame it may appear at first it ends up with discrimination against those who do not speak the language being legislated for. The new legislation in the Republic should act as a wake up call to those who appear to have given up the fight on this important issue.”