ONLY three per cent of candidates in the upcoming Stormont election can speak fluent Irish, a survey by The Irish News reveals.
Just seven of the 228 people seeking election to the assembly would describe their Irish-speaking ability as fluent.
And none of the north's party leaders are confident speaking Irish beyond a few words and phrases.
The Irish language has become a key issue in the election campaign amid growing calls for the introduction of an Irish language act.
DUP leader Arlene Foster has said her party would never agree to such legislation, adding in reference to Sinn Féin demands: "If you feed a crocodile it will keep coming back for more".
Every time the DUP say Sinn Féin they r speaking Irish. Just saying. Mar is gnath.
— Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) February 19, 2017
The proposal gathered pace following anger over DUP minister Paul Givan scrapping a £50,000 Gaeltacht bursary scheme just before Christmas.
Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness cited the cut among his reasons for resigning as deputy first minister – prompting next month's snap election.
Mr Givan later reinstated the Líofa scheme, saying that he did not want Sinn Féin to use it as a "political weapon".
The Irish News asked candidates to describe their ability to speak Irish from five options – fluent, nearly fluent, conversational, some words and phrases, or none.
Seven said they are fluent Irish speakers, while a further seven described themselves as 'nearly fluent'.
Of the seven who said they are fully fluent, five are Sinn Féin candidates – Declan Kearney, Barry McElduff, Sean Lynch, Cathal Ó hOisín and Máirtín Ó Muilleoir.
The other two are the SDLP's Patsy McGlone and Donal Ó Cófaigh from Cross-Community Labour Alternative.
Six per cent, or 14 candidates, described themselves as having 'conversational' Irish while 38 per cent or 86 candidates can speak 'some words and phrases'.
Of the main party leaders at Stormont, Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill, the SDLP's Colum Eastwood, Alliance's Naomi Long and the Green Party's Steven Agnew all answered 'some words and phrases'.
Almost half of the candidates – the vast majority unionist – said they have no Irish-speaking ability.
They include DUP leader Arlene Foster, Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt and TUV leader Jim Allister.
Dismissing calls for an Irish language act earlier this month, DUP leader Mrs Foster said: "If we have an Irish language act, maybe we should have a Polish language act as well because there are more people in Northern Ireland who speak Polish compared to Irish."
According to the 2011 census, 184,898 people in Northern Ireland (11 per cent of the population) aged three and over have 'some ability in Irish'.
Of this, more than a third (64,847) said they can 'speak, read, write and understand Irish'. A total of 4,164 recorded Irish as their 'main language', compared to 17,731 who speak Polish.
Mrs Foster's "crocodile" comments led to Sinn Féin Republican Youth members dressing as crocodiles and demonstrating outside the office of the DUP's Nelson McCausland.
Responding to Mrs Foster's dismissal, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams quipped, "See you later alligator" – and the party began selling T-shirts adorned with his remark in its online shop.
The DUP has faced criticism over the years for its attitude towards the Irish language.
In 2014, the DUP's Gregory Campbell was barred from addressing the assembly for a day for mocking the Irish language and refusing to apologise, after saying, "curry my yoghurt can coca coalyer" – a reference to "go raibh maith agat, Ceann Comhairle" or "thank you, Speaker".
However, Sinn Féin has also had its own problems over the Irish language.
Earlier this month The Irish News highlighted how Sinn Féin election posters in Irish calling for 'equality now' contained a spelling mistake.
The posters read, "Comhionnanas Anois (Equality now)", but the correct spelling of the Irish word for equality is 'comhionannas'.
And last year broadcaster TG4 abandoned plans for a four-way leaders' debate in Irish during the Republic's election campaign because it could not accommodate Gerry Adams and Joan Burton's lack of fluency.
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Survey of candidates
The Irish News asked assembly candidates how they would describe their ability to speak Irish, based on five categories (fluent, nearly fluent, conversational, some words and phrases, or none). Some also gave additional information or comments
BELFAST EAST
Andy Allen (UUP) – None
Sheila Bodel (Conservatives) – None
Joanne Bunting (DUP) – None
Séamas de Faoite (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
David Douglas (DUP) – None
Andrew Girvin (TUV) – None
John Kyle (PUP) – None ["I admire what Linda Ervine is doing in east Belfast but personally I don't speak it. I know that some of our members who are ex-prisoners speak Irish."]
Naomi Long (Alliance) – Some words and phrases
Chris Lyttle (Alliance) – None [Introduced himself in Irish when addressing Irish Embassy. Has sponsored Irish-speaking events in assembly]
Jordy McKeag (Independent) – None
Georgina Milne (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Robin Newton (DUP) – None
Mairéad O'Donnell (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Courtney Robinson (Cross-Community Labour Alternative) – Some words and phrases
BELFAST NORTH
Paula Bradley (DUP) – None
Julie-Anne Corr-Johnston (PUP) – None
Fiona Ferguson (People Before Profit) – Conversational
Robert Foster (UUP) – None
William Humphrey (DUP) – None
Gerry Kelly (Sinn Féin) – Nearly fluent
Nichola Mallon (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Nuala McAllister (Alliance) – Conversational
Nelson McCausland (DUP) – None
Adam Millar (Independent) – [Declined to answer, saying that the "Irish language is the least of the public's concerns at present"]
Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin) – Nearly fluent
Malachai O'Hara (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Gemma Weir (Workers Party) – Conversational
BELFAST SOUTH
Clare Bailey (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Paula Bradshaw (Alliance) – None
Sean Burns (Cross-Community Labour Alternative) – Some words and phrases
Naomh Gallagher (SDLP) – Conversational
Claire Hanna (SDLP) – Conversational [Learned to A-level]
Michael Henderson (UUP) – None
John Hiddleston (TUV) – None
George Jabbour (Conservatives) – None ["I was born and brought up in Syria. Arabic is my first language. I studied English when I was growing up. I came to the UK in 2004 at the age of 22. During some of my time in the UK, I lived in Wales, where I took up Welsh language lessons. I found Welsh, which shares many similarities with Irish, a beautiful language and I very much enjoyed my time studying. I am considering learning Irish after the election."]
Lily Kerr (Workers Party) – Some words and phrases
Emma Little Pengelly (DUP) – None
Emmet McDonough-Brown (Alliance) – Conversational [Attended Bunscoil Phobail Feirste]
Pádraigín Mervyn (People Before Profit) – Some words and phrases ["I learnt it for two years in school and most of it has left me."]
Máirtín Ó Muilleoir (Sinn Féin) – Fluent
Christopher Stalford (DUP) – None
BELFAST WEST
Alex Attwood (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Conor Campbell (Workers Party) – Some words and phrases
Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit) – Conversational ["I have been attending classes at Cumann Chluain Árd on and off for the past year and will be attending again after the election."]
Michael Collins (People Before Profit) – Some words and phrases ["I did Irish until my GCSEs but didn't really follow it up after that."]
Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance) – Some words and phrases
Órlaithí Flynn (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Alex Maskey (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Fra McCann (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Frank McCoubrey (DUP) – None
Ellen Murray (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Fred Rogers (UUP) – None
Pat Sheehan (Sinn Féin) – Nearly fluent
EAST ANTRIM
Roy Beggs (UUP) – None
Ricky Best (Independent ) – None
Stewart Dickson (Alliance) – Some words and phrases
Danny Donnelly (Alliance) – None
Alan Dunlop (Conservatives) – [Could not be contacted]
David Hilditch (DUP) – None
Noel Jordan (Ukip) – None
Gordon Lyons (DUP) – None
Margaret-Anne McKillop (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Oliver McMullan (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Dawn Patterson (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Stephen Ross (DUP) – None
Conor Sheridan (Cross-Community Labour Alternative) – Some words and phrases
John Stewart (UUP) – None
Ruth Wilson (TUV) – None
EAST DERRY
Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin) – Conversational
Jordan Armstrong (TUV) – None
Maurice Bradley (DUP) – None
Gavin Campbell (People Before Profit) – Some words and phrases
John Dallat (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Anthony Flynn (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
David Harding (Conservatives) – None ["Although I'm a unionist, I would support an Irish language act depending on the wording. The Irish language is valuable is my attitude."]
William McCandless (UUP) – None
Chris McCaw (Alliance) – Some words and phrases
Adrian McQuillan (DUP) – None
Gerry Mullan (Independent) – Some words and phrases ["I did do it at O-level but did not retain the ability to speak it fluently. My granddaughter attends an Irish-speaking nursery school and she is very good putting me to shame already!"]
Cathal Ó hOisín (Sinn Féin) – Fluent
George Robinson (DUP) – None
Claire Sugden (Independent) – None
Russell Watton (PUP) – None
FERMANAGH & SOUTH TYRONE
Rosemary Barton (UUP) – None
Noreen Campbell (Alliance) – Some words and phrases
Jemma Dolan (Sinn Féin) – Conversational
Richard Dunn (Conservatives) – Some words and phrases
Alex Elliott (TUV) – None
Arlene Foster (DUP) – None
Michelle Gildernew (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Tanya Jones (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Sean Lynch (Sinn Féin) – Fluent
Richie McPhillips (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Maurice Morrow (DUP) – None
Donal Ó Cófaigh (Cross-Community Labour Alternative) – Fluent
FOYLE
Stuart Canning (Conservatives) – None
Colm Cavanagh (Alliance) – Nearly fluent [Nominated by Alliance to the board of Foras na Gaeilge 2012-15]
Shannon Downey (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Mark H Durkan (SDLP) – Nearly fluent
Colum Eastwood (SDLP) – Some words and phrases ["Studied for three years – would like to learn more."]
Julia Kee (UUP) – None
John Lindsay (CISTA) – Some words and phrases
Elisha McCallion (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Eamonn McCann (People Before Profit) – Some words and phrases ["I had good conversational Irish in my mid-teens. Now I'd have to say I can just about follow a conversation. Words and phrases..."]
Raymond McCartney (Sinn Féin) – Nearly fluent
Gary Middleton (DUP) – None
Arthur McGuinness (Independent) – None
LAGAN VALLEY
Dan Barrios-O'Neill (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Robbie Butler (UUP) – None
Pat Catney (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Peter Doran (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Paul Givan (DUP) – None
Keith Gray (Independent) – [Did not respond]
Brenda Hale (DUP) – None
Trevor Lunn (Alliance) – Some words and phrases
Sammy Morrison (TUV) – None
Jonny Orr (Independent) – None ["I'm a wee bit embarrassed to admit I don't know how to pronounce most of the names my Facebook friends with Irish names. I'm anti-sectarian and am happy to embrace Irish culture and language."]
Jenny Palmer (UUP) – None
Edwin Poots (DUP) – None
Matt Robinson (Conservatives) – [Could not be contacted]
MID ULSTER
Keith Buchanan (DUP) – None
Linda Dillon (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Hannah Loughrin (TUV) – None
Hugh McCloy (Independent) – Some words and phrases ["I know some words and phrases. I do not feel any less Irish or ashamed for it. If any of the big parties were serious about the Irish language act it would have been introduced already. The Irish language does need protection and promotion and people need to have the opportunity to enjoy learning and using it."]
Patsy McGlone (SDLP) – Fluent
Ian Milne (Sinn Féin) – Conversational
Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Sandra Overend (UUP) – None
Hugh Scullion (Workers Party) – Conversational
Stefan Taylor (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Fay Watson (Alliance) – None
NEWRY & ARMAGH
Cathal Boylan (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Jackie Coade (Alliance) – Some words and phrases [Spoke Irish until she was seven in Cork where she was born, but was discouraged from speaking it when she moved to Northern Ireland.]
Emmet Crossan (CISTA) – Some words and phrases
Megan Fearon (Sinn Féin) – Conversational
William Irwin (DUP) – None
Danny Kennedy (UUP) – None
Justin McNulty (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Conor Murphy (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Rowan Tunnicliffe (Green Party) – None
NORTH ANTRIM
Jim Allister (TUV) – None
Mark Bailey (Green Party) – None
Monica Digney (Independent) – Some words and phrases
Connor Duncan (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Paul Frew (DUP) – None
Timothy Gaston (TUV) – None
Phillip Logan (DUP) – None
Adam McBride (Independent) – Some words and phrases
Philip McGuigan (Sinn Féin) – Nearly fluent
Patricia O'Lynn (Alliance) – None
Mervyn Storey (DUP) – None
Robin Swann (UUP) – None
NORTH DOWN
Steven Agnew (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Chris Carter (Independent) – [Could not be contacted]
Alan Chambers (UUP) – None
William Cudworth (UUP) – None
Gordon Dunne (DUP) – None
Alex Easton (DUP) – None
Stephen Farry (Alliance) – Some words and phrases
Melanie Kennedy (Independent) – Some words and phrases ["Some words and phrases but keen to learn more."]
Kieran Maxwell (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Caoimhe McNeill (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Gavan Reynolds (Independent) – [Could not be contacted]
Frank Shivers (Conservatives) – Some words and phrases ["My understanding of the Irish language is roughly the same as I have of French and Spanish, which is some phrases and words."]
SOUTH ANTRIM
Steve Aiken (UUP) – None
Ivanka Antova (People Before Profit) – None
Eleanor Bailey (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Richard Cairns (TUV) – None
Pam Cameron (DUP) – None
Trevor Clarke (DUP) – None
Adrian Cochrane-Watson (UUP) – None
David Ford (Alliance) – Some words and phrases
Paul Girvan (DUP) – None
Declan Kearney (Sinn Féin) – Fluent
Roisin Lynch (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Mark Logan (Conservatives) – None ["I chose to study Mandarin Chinese, and am a fluent speaker. I fully support everyone in South Antrim in pursuing language studies."]
David McMaster (Independent) – None
SOUTH DOWN
Sinéad Bradley (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Patrick Brown (Alliance) – Some words and phrases
Patrick Clarke (Independent) – Some words and phrases ["I am not a fluent Irish speaker but learned Irish at school. I would strongly also personally support an Irish language act.”]
Sinéad Ennis (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Hannah George (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Gary Hynds (Conservatives) – None [“I do support everyone’s right to learn the Irish language and support funding of it.”]
Chris Hazzard (Sinn Féin) – Conversational
Colin McGrath (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Harold McKee (UUP) – None
Lyle Rea (TUV) – None
Jim Wells (DUP) – None
STRANGFORD
Kellie Armstrong (Alliance) – Some words and phrases
Ricky Bamford (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Jonathan Bell (Independent) – [Did not respond]
Scott Benton (Conservatives) – None
Joe Boyle (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Stephen Cooper (TUV) – None
Simon Hamilton (DUP) – None
Dermot Kennedy (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Michelle McIlveen (DUP) – None
Jimmy Menagh (Independent) – None
Mike Nesbitt (UUP) – None
Phillip Smith (UUP) – None
Peter Weir (DUP) – None
UPPER BANN
Doug Beattie (UUP) – None
Jonathan Buckley (DUP) – None
Colin Craig (Workers Party) – None
Jo-Anne Dobson (UUP) - None
Tara Doyle (Alliance) – None
Roy Ferguson (TUV) – None
Ian Nickels (Conservatives) – [Could not be contacted]
Dolores Kelly (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Simon Lee (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Carla Lockhart (DUP) – None
John O’Dowd (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Nuala Toman (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
WEST TYRONE
Michaela Boyle (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Barry Brown (CISTA) – Some words and phrases
Tom Buchanan (DUP) – None
Stephen Donnelly (Alliance) – Some words and phrases
Charlie Chittick (TUV) – None
Alicia Clarke (UUP) – None
Corey French (Independent) – Some words and phrases [“I can only speak some words and phrases and I will hopefully be a fluent speaker by the end of the year.”]
Roger Lomas (Conservatives) – Some words and phrases [“I have no problem saying sláinte with a glass in my hand.”]
Declan McAleer (Sinn Féin) – Some words and phrases
Sorcha McAnespy (Independent) – Conversational [“I could have a basic conversation. However, I am the exception to the rule at home as my three children are nearly fluent.”]
Ciaran McClean (Green Party) – Some words and phrases
Daniel McCrossan (SDLP) – Some words and phrases
Barry McElduff (Sinn Féin) – Fluent
Roisin McMackin (Independent) – None
Susan-Anne White (Independent) – (Declined to answer, saying: “I do not wish to take part in your survey. Suffice it to say that I have no interest in the Irish language. My mother tongue is English. I am opposed to an Irish language act and to letter headings on some official letters being in English and Irish. Northern Ireland is part of the UK and the majority of people speak English and those who do not need to learn English. For me to learn to speak Irish would be about as useful as me learning Swahili whilst living in an English-speaking country.”)
