Forum row over Irish translation service.
From IRISH NEWS December 7th, 2000
A ROW broke out at the Northern Ireland Civic Forum yesterday over the simultaneous
Irish language translation service Forum member Pastor David McConaghie
objected to the use of headsets to translate the words of Irish speakers,
arguing that this had not been agreed by the forum. Mr McConaghie and others
refused to wear their headsets as a succession of members including Bogside
Residents' spokesman Donncha Mac Niallias spoke in Irish. Mr McConaghie
was concerned that the practice had established a precedent. He said: "I don't believe it is compatible with the ethics, nature and purpose of the Civic Forum." He said it was wrong for any member of the forum to force
other members to embrace their lifestyle. "It would be wrong for me, an Evangelical Protestant, to say that before you discuss anything in the forum you must enter into my perspective in life, " he said. Forum chairman Chris
Gibson said the purpose of the translation was to ensure openness and transparency.
He denied that it set a precedent and agreed that the matter should be sorted
out during discussions to establish procedures. Ulster Democratic Party
leader Gary McMichael suggested that the forum dealt with the matter through
its management subcommittee. The 60-member forum was set up under the Good
Friday agreement to advise the Northern Ireland assembly. Its meeting in
Cookstown, Co Tyrone was to discuss the draft Programme for Government announced
in the assembly last month. Outside the forum Mr McConaghie said that he
had no gripe with the Irish language but objected to it being forced upon
him. He said that he would not walk out over the issue but would never give
his consent to the translation service. But forum member Janet Muller, a
representative of the Gaelic language umbrella group, Pobal, said that the
Good Friday agreement made significant references to the Irish language,
including promoting and developing its use. "There is a whole raft of international legislation that supports minority languages, " she said. The rest of the
meeting was taken up with agreeing a Vision Statement, a set of eight aims
and objectives and a programme for work. The statement said Civic Forum
would "exercise effective community leadership and directly influence the building of a peaceful, just, prosperous, cohesive, healthy and plural society".
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