Downpatrick Councillor Cadogan Enright has called upon the Ulster Unionist Party in South Down to distance itself from divisive statements on the Irish Language put out by Danny Kennedy MLA.
Cllr Enright said, “All political parties in the South Down area are signed up to the Good Friday Agreement as modified by the St. Andrews Agreement. The Ulster Unionist Party in particular signed up before the St. Andrews Agreement and committed themselves to supporting an Irish Language Act and mutual respect between the British Community and the Irish Community.”
Cllr Enright continued, “It does not sit well with Danny Kennedy to be countering what his political party has signed up to. Change is never comfortable but moderate political parties need to work together to ensure that the Good Friday Agreement is fully implemented.”
The Green Party in South Down supported the British Governments ratification of the European Convention on Minority languages in 2001 and call for all elected representatives to support the United Kingdoms obligations.”
“The Green Party in South Down has active members from both the British Unionist community and the Irish Nationalist community. We base our behaviour, as we feel all other political parties in Northern Ireland need to do, on Equal Respect for both traditions under Northern Irelands new constitution, the Good Friday Agreement.”
“I would call upon the UUP to put Danny Kennedy right on what his party has signed up to with regard to respect for both traditions,” concluded Cllr Enright.
Danny Kennedys divisive comments against bilingualism can be read by clicking here.