Support for Irish language protections passed in British Parliament

MPs in the House of Commons have approved plans to bolster the official status of the Irish language in Northern Ireland (Irish: Tuaisceart Éireann). The proposed law aims to create new protections for the Irish language in the north of Ireland. The legislation will give the Irish language official status. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland. 

Irish language campaign group Conradh na Gaeilge welcomed the legislation's passage but called on Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris to appoint an Irish language commissioner immediately and added, "Until we see this bill fully enacted and indeed implemented in practice, we will continue to push ahead with the campaign."

There are six existing Celtic languages in the world that form two distinct groups; Goidelic and Brittonic. Irish (Standard Irish: Gaeilge), is one of the Celtic Goidelic  languages. Irish, Manx and Scottish Gaelic form the Goidelic languages, while Welsh, Cornish and Breton are Brittonic.

Image: Demonstration in support of Irish Language in Belfast (Irish: Béal Feirste)