The document is a submission by the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) to the Liaison subcommittee on Confidence-Building Measures, dated January 1998. It outlines the SDLP's belief in the importance of the Irish language as part of the cultural heritage of all of Ireland, emphasizing its significance to the nationalist tradition. The submission discusses the historical context of the Irish language in Northern Ireland, highlighting the decline and revival movements. It compares official approaches to Irish, Ghaidhlig, and Welsh languages, pointing out the disparity in support and recognition. The document critiques the current official policies towards the Irish language as timid and calls for a more proactive approach to promote and develop the language in various aspects of public life, including education, media, public services, and the arts. The SDLP recommends specific actions to enhance support for the Irish language, such as becoming a signatory to the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages, amending the Education Act to support Irish medium education, and increasing resources for initiatives promoting the Irish language.
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