New year plan for language paper

A new strategy for minority languages was under discussion at Stormont

Culture Minister Gregory Campbell plans to submit a paper to the executive in the new year on a strategy for minority languages.

Mr Campbell was speaking on Thursday at the Stormont Committee on Culture, Arts and Leisure.

He clashed with nationalist members over his refusal to introduce a separate Irish Language Act.

Mr Campbell told committee members that separate strategies for Irish and Ulster-Scots were not required.

"It is difficult to evaluate but the strategy needs to try and encompass in so far as it can the promotion for those who want it of the Irish and Ulster-Scots initially, and other languages subsequently, in a way that is non-threatening," he said.

"That is depoliticising it and that will hopefully lead to a richer diversity for all the people in Northern Ireland."

Several nationalist members of the committee, including its chairman, Sinn Fein's Barry McElduff, and SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey questioned Mr Campbell's plans.

Mr Campbell said he regarded the historic disparity in funding between Ulster-Scots and Irish as unsustainable.

Mr McElduff asked if Mr Campbell could secure "more money for both".

"Because in one sense people are saying that's a back door way of reducing financial support for the Irish language and that is your true objective," Mr McElduff added.

Mr Campbell replied:"I don't tend to use back doors chairman, I tend to demand entry to the front door."