South Down MP Chris Hazzard MP has welcomed a recommendation from the Council of Europe for the immediate introduction of legislation to protect the rights of Irish speakers in the North of Ireland.
Mr Hazzard has now confirmed that he will raise this issue with the Secretary of State Karen Bradley when they meet in the weeks ahead to discuss the current political situation and ongoing Brexit negotiations.
He said: “The Council of Europe have now publicly recommended that the British government should implement legislation to protect the rights of Irish speakers immediately.
“This is a significant international human rights intervention considering the ongoing failure of the British Government to guarantee the legislative outworking of previous political agreements – including implementing an Act Gaeilge as previously agreed in the St Andrews Agreement.
“I will be raising this directly with the Secretary of State Karen Bradley as it is now abundantly clear that the British Government have an international obligation to protect the human rights of all citizens living in the North of Ireland.”
