Gerry Adams: No Assembly without an Irish Language Act
Irish language rights remain a make or break issue for power-sharing in Northern Ireland, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has warned.
Amid preliminary talks on the potential to revive Stormont negotiations, he insisted that progress on the language was not about threatening unionists but respecting traditions.
Mr Adams said: "Let's be very, very clear - there won't be an Assembly without an Acht na Gaelige [Irish Language Act]. The DUP know that, the governments know that.
"I understand that there are elements within unionism who think that this is in some way threatening but it's a matter of whether we want this part of the island to embrace everyone.
"You don't have to agree with everyone but you do have to have a legislative basis for respect and that includes the Irish language act."
Politicians from five of Northern Ireland's parties have declared their support for an Irish language act, saying a majority of politicians at Stormont now support rights being enshrined in legislation.
Democratic Unionists remain opposed to the reform but there have been suggestions that a broader piece of legislation which includes provisions for Ulster Scots speakers could achieve cross-community backing.
Conradh na Gaelige, which has spearheaded the campaign for Irish speakers, said 50 of Stormont's 90 MLAs now support the proposed legislation - a majority in the Assembly.
The SDLP's Nichola Mallon, Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw, Green Party MLA and party leader in Northern Ireland Steven Agnew and People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll joined Mr Adams as part of the campaign.
President of Irish language advocacy group Conradh na Gaelige said: "The message from today's event is very clear: there is widespread, cross-party, majority support for a stand-alone Irish Language Act.
"That support translates to 50 out of 90 MLAs and an historic majority support within the Assembly for the first time.
"Given this majority, we now call on those who continue to oppose a stand-alone Irish language act to reflect on their position and to acknowledge that the time for change is now."
