Council to review Ulster Scots policy following criticism of no policy

The local authority’s strategy, policy and resources committee this week approved a review of its approach to the language and culture and to provide a paper to equality and good relations.

The new strategy comes following correspondence from the Ulster Scots Community Network, to the council CEO Marie Ward, which noted “NMDDC has no policy or strategy” for the language.

Slieve Croob DUP rep, Alan Lewis said: “I would like to thank the Ulster Scots Network for the work that they have done and to the council staff and officers who have brought it to this stage.

“I would just like to ask when we can expect the review to be complete and how far reaching that review will be? As we know there is funding and financing allocated to the Irish language.

“It would be ideal to see the Ulster Scots brought up to the same sort of standards.”

The council has previouly committed to an annual Ulster Scots Leid/ Lanaguage Week (Nov 20-24) following an equality and good relations agreement.

One of the keynote events of the week was a history and tradition talk by former DUP MLA, Nelson McCausland at Newry Museum.

Council deputy chairperson, Gareth Sharvin (SDLP) added: “When I read this letter, my back was a bit up, of why are they only writing to us, but I was put right by Cllr Taylor (UUP) that they had written to all councils.

“It is actually quite limited the amount of other councils who have an Ulster Scots policy.

“I did some research and found that Ards and North Down, Lisburn and Castlereagh, Mid and East Antrim, were the only three that I found, so far that didn’t actually have a policy around Ulster Scots at all.

“But Fermanagh and Omagh, Derry and Strabane and Belfast City councils actually did.

“It is a really good piece of work that we will undertake in co-operation with other authorities and it may be an opportunity to work with other councils.”

Downpatrick Sinn Fein cllr, Oonagh Hanlon said: “I think it would be remiss not to say that we are leading the way in Irish language in NMDDC and I think this is just going to strengthen it and show commitment to diversity of languages. And I look forward to it being implemented.”

The chamber also heard that an Ulster Scots group had existed in Newry and Mourne before the super-council structures were formed in 2015.Crotlieve SDLP cllr, Declan McAteer added: “The old Newry and Mourne council had an Ulster Scots group and it was quite good and reasonably well attended.

“I do think it is very important to do whatever we can to assist and promote the different cultures within our district. And I would look forward to the time that we would have some form of a joint committee built around the languages.

“The Irish language sub group is a really excellent group and I would love to see the day, when we all attend the sub committees for each other’s culture.”