UK government agrees to Irish language laws - Sinn Féin
- Published
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald says she has received a commitment from the UK government to legislate for Irish language protections.
Her party will now nominate a deputy first minister at Stormont, she said.
Sinn Féin had said it would not support a new Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) first minister unless the UK government passed the legislation.
The legislation was part of the deal that restored power-sharing last January.
Talks at Stormont continued late into Wednesday night in a bid to break a stalemate over the legislation.
Sinn Féin returned just before midnight on Wednesday to resume negotiations with NI Secretary Brandon Lewis.
He said he was "disappointed" the Stormont Executive had not brought Irish language legislation forward in the assembly.
"However, following my intensive negotiations with the parties over the last few days, I can confirm that if the executive has not progressed legislation by the end of September, the UK government will take the legislation through Parliament in Westminster," he said.
"If that becomes necessary, we will introduce legislation in October 2021."
He also said the DUP and Sinn Féin had confirmed they intended to nominate a first and deputy first minister at the "earliest opportunity", namely Thursday.
It is understood the Stormont business committee could meet at short notice to try and arrange a special sitting on Thursday to nominate a first and deputy first minister.
Ms McDonald said: "The British government has agreed to legislate for Acht na Gaeilge and the cultural package at Westminster. This will happen in October with commissioners appointed by March 2022.
"We told the British government that this is the only viable option to deliver these rights as the DUP were unwilling and incapable of delivering on their commitments.
"It is deeply regrettable that the DUP chose to block rights in this way for so long. Tonight we have broken through all of that."
The DUP has not commented yet.