Government moves on new academy

By Joanne Crockard

The creation of a £12 million Ulster-Scots Academy moved one step closer with the announcement of a new implementation group.

 The implementation group has 18 months to advise on how an independent Academy with university affiliation specialising in language development should be set up.

 Chaired by Dr Philip Robinson, the group is made up of  individuals who have been campaigning for the Ulster-Scots language to be preserved and developed along with representatives from the two local universities.

 The announcement was made by culture minister David Hanson,  who explained that the £12 million proposal stemmed from the Government's commitments in the Belfast Agreement of 1998.

 The minister stressed that the establishment of the Academy would not compromise the statutory remit of the Ulster-Scots Agency.

 The news was welcomed by Ulster-Scots Agency's chief executive, George Patton.

 "The Agency welcomes Government's intention to support an independent Ulster-Scots Academy with university affiliation and is pleased that the creation of the broad-based implementation group will help progress things to its final establishment.

 "We look forward to working with the Ulster-Scots Academy in the future so that the promotion of the Ulster-Scots language will have the fullest possible resources available," said Mr Patton.

 The Group is tasked with making recommendations to ministers for the establishment of an Ulster-Scots Academy, which will include governance, staffing, location and a detailed business plan.

 Members of the group are - chairman - Dr Philip Robinson, vice-chairman - Councillor Dr Ian Adamson; Keith Gamble, Ulster-Scots Heritage Council; Alison Henry, University of Ulster, Professor of Linguistics; Ivan Herbison, Queen's University, - English Department; William Humphrey, Ulster-Scots Heritage Council; Fiona McDonald, Ulster-Scots Language Society and Lewis Singleton, Mid-Armagh Community Network.