THE DUP has been accused of vetoing a new funding mechanism which is preventing the Irish government from increasing its funding to Foras na Gaeilge.

Yesterday Irish language organisation Conradh na Gaeilge claimed that funding cuts by Foras na Gaeilge has left Irish language groups uncertain about future projects. Conradh na Gaeilge say the cuts amount to over €800,000 and believe that both governments have "critically failed" to fund a viable cross-border body for the Irish language and called into question the future of Foras na Gaeilge.

Foras na Gaelige, which was set up as a result of the Good Friday Agreement, receives funding from both the Irish government and the Stormont executive.

In the Stormont chamber on Monday, Sinn Féin MLA for Mid-Ulster Emma Sheerin, asked deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly to provide an explanation for the delay in introducing a new funding model for North/South bodies, including Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency.

In her response, Ms Little-Pengelly said: “I assure the Member that those things have all been previously discussed and agreed. There is a careful balance in all those things, and the balance in the contribution, North and South, to those bodies is to ensure that the work that happens in those bodies is balanced in their North/South aspects. 

“I understand that the former Finance Minister was, perhaps, proposing to break that and to facilitate the South increasing its contribution without its being linked to Northern Ireland's contribution. That is not something that I am in agreement with, and, therefore, there is simply not agreement on that proposal at this stage. We will engage with the new Finance Minister if, indeed, that is what the Member is referring to. However, it is important to remember that, in this place, there will be some things that we do not agree with. The Executive are all about trying to find a consensus way through. We will endeavour to do that, because I believe that, thus far, we have been able to do it.

She added: “I can speak only for myself, but, to be absolutely clear, if I was not clear in my initial answer: if the only alternative funding model on the table is one that breaks the balance between the contributions of the Republic of Ireland Government and the Northern Ireland Government to North/South bodies, that is not something that I am in agreement with. I am in agreement with that being balanced across the two jurisdictions. That gives both jurisdictions a balanced say in the activities and the funding model. That has been the agreed model thus far, and I see no reason to change that at this stage. Indeed, I see challenges in changing that.” 

In a social media post after Ms Little-Pengelly's comments, Conradh na Gaeilge asked: "Is a 32 county DUP veto on Irish language funding acceptable?"