“Repression, Rights, and Remedy: Realizing the Adoption of an Irish Language Act as Social Justice”

The legal recognition and protection of the Irish language in Northern Ireland is contentious, and commitments from various political agreements remain outstanding. The language has been subjected to political repression by successive Unionist Governments since partition, within a wider sphere of cultural exclusion. Irish is perceived in political terms and subjected to political marginalization which has hindered recognition and undermined the rights of its users. Successive Northern Ireland Executives have failed to comply with international human rights law to ensure the protection and promotion of Irish and successive British Governments have refused to intervene to guarantee the compliance of the devolved nations with international law. Introducing an Irish Language Act ,giving legal recognition to the language and the rights of its users, is necessary as a means of social justice to finally remedy the historic repression of Irish.