Beware NIO doublespeak on language
A recently leaked briefing paper from chief NIO civil servant,
Tony Canavan, to Stormont Minister, Tony Worthington, reveals
that despite the Good Friday document anti-Irish language
attitudes are still being peddled by the British bureaucracy.
In the paper Canavan dismisses, with obvious contempt, the
sections which call for ``resolute action'' to ``facilitate and
encourage'' the Irish language. Canavan states : ``What these
worthy sentiments might mean in practice is a matter of
interpretation and we could argue that our interpretation is as
valid as anyone else's ``.
Canavan goes on to stress that Scots Gaelic should not be given
special status either to ensure that the discrimination being
practised by the British against the Irish language would not be
so obvious. He also labels some Irish language enthusiasts as
``abrasive''. However, he has identified `moderates' within the
Irish language community with whom education Minister Worthington
may be able to do business. One of these is Aodan MacPóilín who
fronts the British Government-funded Ultach Trust. Another
`moderate' is Belfast City Councillor, Chris McGimpsey, who spent
over 10 years voting to uphold the council's ban on the Irish
language!
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