"The linguistic situation in Northern Ireland has improved greatly since the 1970s. Although Irish speakers would like more support and recognition, there is no official hostility to the language. The government views Irish as an important part of everyone's heritage and has made commitments in international agreements to support and actively encourage the use of Irish."
The above quote is taken from the BBC website:
No doubt the situation of the Irish language in the north of Ireland may well have improved but it apparently has not improved to the extent that a well attended demonstration of support for a new Language Act is worth news time on BBC N. Ireland.
When 5000 people demonstrated last month to support demands for an Irish Language Act the BBC did not consider the issue newsworthy.
However, the BBC (or more accurately their agencies) are not always so passive when it comes to Irish language activism. The Corporation has ensured in the past that those who chose to protest about the lack of Irish language programming were taken to Court.
This is another example, if it were needed, that significant reform is required at the BBC in N. Ireland and that reform should encompass 'title', administration, policy and programming. Only after such wide-ranging reform can the 'BBC' claim to serve all of the community.
The Belfast Agreement was supposed to embrace the concept of cross-community participation. How that can be achieved when the main point of delivery for broadcast services in the North is still wedded to the unjust foundation which underpinned the 'Ulster Statelet' it is difficult to see.
There is great talk in the North of Ireland, in Dublin and Westminster these days about new beginnings. However, you can only sustain the ideals which support such optimism if this subsection of the BBC (i.e.BBC N. Ireland) casts aside the bedrock of bigotry on which it was founded.
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
05/03/07
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