Gaeltacht Quarter "must serve whole of Greater Belfast" - Parsley

5.25.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 7th Sep 2006

Alliance Spokesperson for Youth Affairs, Ian Parsley

Alliance Spokesperson for Youth Affairs Ian James Parsley has given a cautious welcome to the announcement of a Gaeltacht Quarter for Belfast, but warned it must not serve as another basis for division in the city.

The North Down Councillor, who took part in a five-person panel at a debate on the issue at the Feile an Phobail last month, stated: "The Irish language has no future as a tool for political division. It must be allowed to flourish among all those people with an interest in it - regardless of where they live, where they worship or which way they vote.

"The identification of an area of the city to act as a hub for users of the language is welcome, but the debate surrounding it so far has too often become bogged down in discussion of geographical boundaries. Such an area must serve the whole of Belfast and beyond, focusing on providing centres of broadcasting and educational excellence which can make the language accessible to everyone with an interest in it.

"For too long the whole lesser-used language debate has been sacrificed to political expediency. The Irish language is now in a position where it can go beyond that, and become accessible to everyone through broadcasting, online learning and language centres across the Greater Belfast area. No one should seek to place restrictions - geographical or otherwise - on access to the language."

ENDS