Irish Members of Parliament express support for Minority SafePack

On Thursday, 17 October 2019 the Federal Union of European Nationalities visited Ireland and held meetings with members of the Irish parliament to inform them about the European Citizens’ Initiative, Minority SafePack. FUEN President and MEP Loránt Vincze explained the advantages of the initiative for Europe’s minorities. He stressed that the Irish language would also benefit from many of the legislative acts proposed in the SafePack, such as an EU-Recommendation for the protection and promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity and the creation of a Language Diversity Centre. Research about minorities would prove the added economic value of Ireland’s bilingual population.

Mr Vincze also mentioned the proposal for a single European copyright law, which would be beneficial to smaller radio and tv companies that broadcast in Northern Ireland as well.

The speaker of the Irish Parliament, Dáil Éireann, Mr Pat “the Cope” Gallagher, Fianna Fáil, stressed the importance of Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity during an act on the Versailles Treaty and FUEN’s Minority SafePack initiative.

Member of Parliament, Aindrias Moynihan, Fianna Fáil, called the SafePack “a very important initiative” which the parliament should wholeheartedly support. MP Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Sinn Féin, who chaired the meeting in the parliament praised the Citizens’ Initiative and underlined that it is crucial for the future of Europe’s minorities and nationalities.

The initiator of the meeting in the parliament, the chair of the Committee for the Irish language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands, MP Catherine Connolly, independent, promised to follow up the meeting by sending the MinoritySafePack to all Members of the Irish Parliament and asked FUEN to keep her informed of the next steps and in what way the Irish Parliament can contribute to the success of the initiative and the adoption of the legislative acts.

The FUEN delegation also presented the initiative to Mr Seán Kyne, Minister for the Irish language, the Gaeltacht and Islands and to Dr. Aodhán Mac Cormaic, the Director General for Culture, Heritage, the Irish language and the Gaeltacht.

Finally, the FUEN delegation held meetings with the Irish language, cultural and regional development organisations, Údarásna Gaeltachta, Foras Na Gaeilghe and Conradhna Gaeighe about enhanced cooperation.