Draft Rural Needs Impact Assessment

August 2024

Contents

Section 1 - Defining the activity subject to Section 1(1) of the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016

1A. Name of public authority

Belfast City Council

1B. Please provide a short title, which describes the activity being undertaken by the public authority that is subject to the Section 1(1) of the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016.

Belfast City Council Irish Language Policy

1C. Please indicate which category the activity specified in Section 1B relates to.

Developing a policy

1D. Please provide the official title (if any) of the policy, strategy, plan for public service document or initiative relating to the category indicated in Section 1C.

Belfast City Council Irish Language Policy

1E. Please provide details of the aims or objectives of the policy, strategy, plan or public service.

Belfast City Council introduced a Language Policy in 2006 to define how the Council would respond to requests for correspondence in Irish and Ulster Scots and also giving a clear policy position on the use of language other than English in signage at Council facilities. Since then the Irish language community in Belfast has experienced considerable growth. There has also been an increased focus on the use and presence of Irish in public services and through the public realm owing to political debate about these issues.

Since the launch of its Language Strategy Belfast City Council has been asked by both elected members and the public to increase the range of services it delivers through Irish. This has been made difficult by the lack of a clear policy position on some of these issues and has resulted in the Council making a number of individual decisions in relation to language issues. This policy aims to regularise the Council’s position in relation to the Irish language and to give a clear position in relation to the provision of Council services through Irish. 

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Section 2 – Understanding the impact of the policy, strategy, plan or public service

2A. Is the policy, strategy, plan or public service likely to impact on people in rural areas?

Yes

2B. Please explain how the policy, strategy, plan or public service is likely to impact on people in rural areas.

The policy is likely to impact on Council workers, residents of Belfast and visitors to the city. This includes both urban and rural residents. It is unlikely, however, that the policy will impact on people in the rural parts of Belfast any more or in any way differently to how it would impact on residents in the urban areas.

2C. If the policy, strategy, plan or public service is likely to impact on people in rural areas differently from people in urban areas, please explain how it is likely to impact on people in rural areas differently.

It is unlikely that the policy will impact on people in the rural parts of Belfast any more or in any way differently to how it would impact on residents in the urban areas.

2D. Please indicate which rural policy areas the policy, strategy, plan or public service is likely to primarily impact on.

2E. Please explain why the policy, strategy, plan or public service is not likely to impact on people in rural areas.

Not applicable.

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Section 3 – Identifying the social and economic needs of persons in rural areas

3A. Has the public authority taken steps to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas that are relevant to the policy, strategy, plan or public service?

No. 

3B. Please indicate which methods or information sources were used by the public authority to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas.

Not applicable.

3C. Please provide details of the methods and information sources used to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas including relevant dates, names of organisations, titles of publications, website references, details of surveys or consultations undertaken. 

Not applicable.

3D. Please provide details of the social and economic needs of people in rural areas which have been identified by the public authority.

This is not applicable.

3E. Please explain why no steps were taken by the public authority to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas.

It is not felt that the policy will impact on residents in the rural areas of Belfast in any way differentially to the way in which it would impact on residents in the urban areas. 

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Section 4 – Considering the social and economic needs of persons in rural areas

4A. Please provide details of the issues considered in relation to the social and economic needs of people in rural areas.

It is not believed that the policy presents any issues in relation to the social and economic needs of people in rural areas. It is not felt that this policy will impact residents in rural areas in any way differently to residents in urban areas.

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Section 5 – Influencing the policy, strategy, plan or public service

5A. Has the development, adoption, implementation or revising of the policy, strategy or plan, or the design or delivery of the public service, been influenced by the rural needs identified?

Yes

5B. Please explain how the development, adoption, implementation or revising of the policy, strategy or plan, or the design or delivery of the public service, has been influenced by the rural needs identified?

It is unlikely that the policy will impact on people in the rural parts of Belfast any more or in any way differently to how it would impact on residents in the urban areas.

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5C. Please explain why the development, adoption, implementation or revising of the policy, strategy or plan, or the design or the delivery of the public service, has not been influenced by the rural needs identified.

No rural needs have been identified. It is unlikely that the policy will impact on people in the rural parts of Belfast any more or in any way differently than how it would impact on residents in the urban areas.

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Section 6 – Documenting and recording

6A. Please tick to confirm that the RNIA template will be retained by the public authority and relevant information on Section 1 activity compiled in accordance with paragraph 6.7 of the guidance.

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