Draft Equality Impact Assessment

An EQIA is a thorough and systematic analysis of a policy to determine the extent of differential impact upon any of the groups within the nine Section 75 categories and whether that impact is adverse. If it is decided that the policy has an adverse impact on groups within one or more of the nine categories, the Council must consider measures which may mitigate the adverse impact and alternative ways of delivering policy aims which have a less adverse impact on groups within each of the relevant categories.

In order to determine whether the policy is likely to have any adverse impact, it is necessary to consider the people affected by the policy, their needs and experiences and the Section 75 categories to which they belong.

About the Language Strategy 2018-2023

Further to its original Language Policy (2006), in 2018 the Council adopted a Language Strategy 2018 - 2023.  In keeping with the Council’s long-term vision for the city, as set out in the Belfast Agenda, the Strategy aspires to create a place where linguistic diversity is celebrated and respected, and where those who live, work and visit Belfast can expect to access what Belfast has to offer, using forms of language with which they are familiar and comfortable. The aims of the Strategy are to:

• address language and communication challenges and opportunities within the Belfast Agenda outcomes;
• establish a transparent set of principles for promoting, protecting and enhancing the linguistic diversity of the city;
• increase the profile of different languages along with awareness and understanding of associated cultures, heritage and traditions;
• engage with language communities to address language barriers and promote equality of opportunity through the development and integration of different languages into mainstream civic life;
• enhance good relations within the city through the promotion of linguistic diversity and to celebrate the significance of language in the history and culture of the city;
• address staff training and capacity building needs in relation to the role linguistic diversity has in the workplace and in the delivery of services;
• work in partnership to promote linguistic diversity across the city, to move toward our shared vision of inclusive growth, where no one is left behind.

In adopting this Strategy, the Council was mindful of international and domestic legal obligations and standards (see below). It was also informed by demands for minority languages and feedback from wide ranging consultation. 

Based on this information, an approach was adopted that included the development of an overarching Language Strategy which articulated the Council’s commitment to supporting minority languages while allowing the different needs of speakers of Irish, Ulster-Scots and other non-indigenous languages to be addressed appropriately and effectively.

The Language Strategy was subject to a formal consultation period which ran from 23 May 2017 to 18 July 2017. A Section 75 screening process accompanied the consultation and the strategy was duly ‘screened out’ (i.e. no need to proceed to an EQIA).

Language Strategy Action Plan

The Council’s Language Strategy is supported by an Action Plan.

While the Council’s Legal and Civic Services Department has overall responsibility for monitoring progress regarding the priorities within the Action Plan, it is taken that each Council Department will ensure that the Language Strategy and Action Plan will continue to inform the delivery of its functions.

Within the Plan there is a stated commitment to move towards the development of a number of separate corporate policies dealing with each strand, with an added commitment to address signage within the Irish Language Policy.

As part of the review cycle, during 2023 a Draft Action Plan 2022-2025 was made available by the Council’s Legal and Civic Services Department, including the five language strands contained within the Strategy:

• Irish
• Ulster-Scots
• Minority Ethnic Communities
• Sign Languages (British Sign Language and Irish Sign Language)
• Disability Communications

The current Action Plan identifies both immediate priorities and longer-term goals to deliver the ambitions of the Language Strategy.

The current Action Plan covers five key areas of work:

1. Access to Council Services
2. Branding
3. Community, Education and Business
4. Staff Awareness and Training
5. Engagement

A public consultation was carried out on the Draft Action Plan between 16 October 2023 and 22 January 2024. This revealed widespread support for the overarching strategy while also highlighting the need to develop separate policies to address the needs and requirements of each language strand, and including Irish (see below). A copy of the full consultation report is available at the following link under Agenda Item no. 8: Agenda for Strategic Policy and Resources Committee on Friday, 19 April, 2024, 9.30am (belfastcity.gov.uk)

The consultation resulted in a range of amendments to the Plan that was subsequently presented to the SP&R Committee on 19 April, 2024. While there was broad agreement with the revised Plan, members suggested some further additions. After discussion, the Working Group recommended that the SP&R Committee would agree the amended draft Language Strategy Action Plan, subject to ratification at the full Council meeting on 3 June 2024.

This draft Policy is therefore the first of a suite of policies which will seek to deliver the ambitions of the Language Strategy.

Draft Irish Language Policy

The draft Irish Language Policy recognises that Irish language is part of the shared cultural wealth and heritage of everyone who lives in Belfast and is the first language of a growing community of our citizens in the city. 

The European Charter on Minority Languages states that the adoption of special measures in favour of regional or minority languages aimed at promoting equality between the users of these languages and the rest of the population, or which take due account of their specific conditions, should not be considered to be an act of discrimination against the users of more widely-used languages.

Policy Statement

The draft Policy seeks to ensure that a person requesting service through the medium of Irish from the Council will receive the same standard of service as they would receive were they to request service in English, and for the availability of Irish language services to be made known to them at the outset of their dealing with the Council through active offer.

Communications

Under the Draft Policy, and in line with these commitments, the Council commits to a number of communications actions. These include:

• Developing a list of key strategic Council documents and publications to be made available proactively in Irish.
• Identifying the ten most common front-facing forms (online and hard copy) and translated these into Irish for immediate use.
• Publishing information leaflets, marketing and promotional materials bilingually in printed form and online.
• Making available consultation questionnaires, engagement sessions and associated documents through the medium of Irish/bilingually where the proposed policy has the potential to impact upon the use of Irish language or the Irish language community.
• Adopting a new bilingual (Irish and English) corporate identity with the bilingual logo becoming the new, proactive, de facto council logo to be used across all corporate branding. The English-only version of the logo will be available upon request.
• Promoting the availability of the Irish language Council logo, the use of bilingual English and Irish corporate signatures and Irish language City brand for use in correspondence, documentation, literature and so on.
• Providing and promoting interpretation and translation services across the Council, including codifying the arrangements for the use of Irish in Council meetings.
• Publishing regular and frequent bilingual English and Irish content across all social media platforms.
• Developing a comprehensive strategy on how best to promote the Irish language across the Council’s platforms, setting out clear annual goals, increasing annually, around the percentage of social media posts produced.
• Developing and maintaining a functioning bilingual (Irish and English) website to include a specific Irish language page, with information about the Irish language services available from Council, information on classes throughout the city and on Irish medium education.
• Promoting Irish language events in the city and providing information in Irish about major upcoming events and the launch of any key strategic Council initiative.
• Providing staff with a code of courtesy for indigenous languages and provision of cultural awareness training.

Signage

As part of a rolling programme, the Council will prioritise the erection of dual language signage in all of its facilities through a phased categorisation approach as set out at Appendix 1.

For the purposes of the draft Policy, the term ‘sign’ is taken to include all informational and directional signage within facilities, signage and names outside of buildings and also signs at outdoor facilities such as parks and allotments. It also includes interactive displays, educational aids, information leaflets and other resources.

Translation for signage will be produced by an independent accredited Irish language translator and will be consistent across Council facilities, with regard to the proper use of standardised forms.

The erection of street signs in Irish will continue to be dealt with separately under the Council’s Dual Language Street Signs Policy as adopted in October 2022.

Responsibility

The City Solicitor and Chief Executive will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of this Policy. Progress in relation to delivery will be reported to the Council’s Language Strategy Working Group and the SP&R Committee, with each Department expected to play its role in supporting the delivery of the objectives of this Policy.

Review

The Policy will be subject to review after two years and updated in light of any direction given by central government in relation to the Irish language, and any best practice standards set by an Irish Language Commissioner once appointed