A Chara, – Had East Derry MP Gregory Campbell, directed his bigoted outburst at the immigrant or gay and lesbian communities, rather than at the Irish-speaking community ("DUP's Campbell denied speaking rights for 'mocking Irish'", November 4th) cries of racism or homophobia would have been heard before now.
However, because his intolerant outburst was directed at Northern Ireland’s Irish-speaking community there is, for the most part, an uncanny silence.
The UK has signed and ratified the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML).
The Westminster parliament, in 1967 and in 1993, enacted legislation to facilitate the official use of the Welsh language.
The National Assembly for Wales followed suit in 2012. The Scottish Parliament in 2005 enacted the Gaelic Language Act to facilitate and promote Scottish Gaelic.
The Council of Europe has recommended the enactment of similar legislation in Northern Ireland. But all we get from Mr Campbell are his “toilet paper” remarks.
European and British standards are seemingly fine in Britain itself but, as with flag-flying, British standards are not British enough for certain people in Northern Ireland.
Language rights are an integral part of human rights. The Belfast Good Friday Agreement is “subject to safeguards to protect the rights and interests of all sides of the community”.
The kind of intolerance articulated at the DUP Annual Conference is in clear violation of this and can have no part in Northern Ireland if we are to have peace and progress. – Is mise, etc, DÓNALL Ó RIAGÁIN, An Nás, Co Chill Dara