A Republican inmate is set to launch legal action over a lack of Irish language signage at Maghaberry Prison.
The challenge also focuses on a failure to facilitate the use of Irish by prisoners and restrictions in wearing the fainne – a pin worn by Irish speakers.
The case is being taken by Sean McVeigh, who is serving a 25-year sentence for the attempted murder of a police officer in Eglinton, Co Derry, in 2015.
The Irish language is currently taught and spoken on the jail’s Roe House, where the majority of republican prisoners are held while the Department of Justice, which runs the north’s prisons, currently incorporates the language into its official branding.
In his challenge, McVeigh, a gold fainne holder, highlights the lack of signage in Maghaberry and claims that prisoners are only allowed to wear the pin in their cells.
McVeigh also wants to communicate in writing with prison authorities in Irish and includes jail chiefs publishing notices and other documents in the language.
In 2019 an Irish language teacher was appointed in Maghaberry after legal action was threatened.
Conchúr Ó Muadaigh, Advocacy Manager at Conradh na Gaeilge, said there is “very clearly a huge policy vacuum across the justice, policing and tribunals infrastructure when it comes to Irish language provision”.
“That lack of policy is at odds with the 2019 ‘Human Rights Guidance by the Attorney General on the ‘Use of the Irish Language’ relating specifically to the Public Prosecution Service and PSNI, guidance which they have seemingly ignored since it was laid into legislation.”
Mr Ó Muadaigh said that the 1737 Administration of Justice Act, which legally bans Irish from British tribunals and courts “remains unrepealed” adding that it is “an outstanding commitment for the British Government from the 2022 Identity and Language Act”.
“It is clear, that with unambiguous policy guidance, Irish would be included across all our justice and prison systems, in line with international obligations and human rights charters,” he said.
“That policy vacuum should be addressed without any further delay so that the Irish language is accessible to all who wish to learn, use, see, speak or engage with it.”
McVeigh’s solicitor Gavin Booth, of Phoenix Law, referenced the DoJ’s use of Irish in its official signage.
“The question we have to ask is ‘why this has not been extended to the prison and prison environment’? he said.
“We would hope this action brings a solution to bring about the use of the Irish language in prison every day, for those who use the language.”
“The Irish language act was supposed to incorporate the use of Irish every day through public bodies.”
The DoJ was contacted.
