Aping Irish speakers OK, Says Standards Commitee
Complaint knock-back BY ROISIN MCMANUS A complaint lodged by a local Irish language activist against DUP MLA Gregory Campbell will not be taken any further, the Andersonstown News has learned. Jake Mac Siacais, the director of Forbairt Feirste, lodged the complaint after comments made by East Derry MP Gregory Campbell in the Assembly in September. During a debate in the Assembly on September 10 on Irish and Ulster-Scots funding and parity, Mr Campbell said: “Were I were a satirist, I might begin my question to the Minister with the words ‘Cora my Yogi Bear, a can coca colya’.” The outburst was slammed as “deeply offensive” and Jake lodged a complaint with the Committee on Standards and Privileges shortly afterwards. He has now learned his complaint will not be taken any further. “Basically, what the Committee on Standards and Privileges have said is that this is outside their remit and they can’t deal with it,” said Jake. “Gregory Campbell mimicked an Irish address to the speaker.” Jake believes that if Gregory Campbell had mimicked any another language during the debate that he would have provoked outrage among his colleagues. “It seems to be alright to insult Irish and Irish speakers and nobody blinks an eye,” he said. “All of the people in the Assembly that day should have chastised and censored him and basically they didn’t and that means that he gets away with it,” he added. Jake says that he is not surprised in the slightest that his complaint will not be taken any further. “What this does is that it shows the need for a robust assessment of procedures in the Assembly. Gregory Campbell is elected. He is paid with taxpayers’ money as an MLA, so I should be able to expect better from him,” he added. A spokesman for Mr Campbell said he wouldn’t be commenting on the matter. http://www.irelandclick.com/ _________________
Complaint knock-back BY ROISIN MCMANUS A complaint lodged by a local Irish language activist against DUP MLA Gregory Campbell will not be taken any further, the Andersonstown News has learned. Jake Mac Siacais, the director of Forbairt Feirste, lodged the complaint after comments made by East Derry MP Gregory Campbell in the Assembly in September. During a debate in the Assembly on September 10 on Irish and Ulster-Scots funding and parity, Mr Campbell said: “Were I were a satirist, I might begin my question to the Minister with the words ‘Cora my Yogi Bear, a can coca colya’.” The outburst was slammed as “deeply offensive” and Jake lodged a complaint with the Committee on Standards and Privileges shortly afterwards. He has now learned his complaint will not be taken any further. “Basically, what the Committee on Standards and Privileges have said is that this is outside their remit and they can’t deal with it,” said Jake. “Gregory Campbell mimicked an Irish address to the speaker.” Jake believes that if Gregory Campbell had mimicked any another language during the debate that he would have provoked outrage among his colleagues. “It seems to be alright to insult Irish and Irish speakers and nobody blinks an eye,” he said. “All of the people in the Assembly that day should have chastised and censored him and basically they didn’t and that means that he gets away with it,” he added. Jake says that he is not surprised in the slightest that his complaint will not be taken any further. “What this does is that it shows the need for a robust assessment of procedures in the Assembly. Gregory Campbell is elected. He is paid with taxpayers’ money as an MLA, so I should be able to expect better from him,” he added. A spokesman for Mr Campbell said he wouldn’t be commenting on the matter. http://www.irelandclick.com/ _________________