Sinn Féin and SDLP Assembly members remain confident that there will be an Irish language Act for Northern Ireland despite a decision by Minister for Culture Edwin Poots not to proceed with promised legislation.
The DUP Minister told the House yesterday that he was "unpersuaded" to introduce an Irish language Bill on grounds of cost and political sensitivity despite the calls for such a measure in two consultative procedures.
"There is, in my view, insufficient community consensus, potentially significant costs and a real possibility that legislation could undermine good relations and, in so doing, prove counter-productive to those wishing to see the language developed in a non-politicised and inclusive manner. I remain unpersuaded that there is a compelling case for progressing legislation at this time."
An Irish language Act was promised during negotiations leading to the St Andrews Agreement in Scotland last year.
Mr Poots cited a series of current investments and costs linked to the development of Irish in Northern Ireland, claiming that on current estimates £290 million (€416 million) would be spent over 10 years.
He said that questions of other "compelling costs" had prompted his decision.
The Sinn Féin chairman of the Assembly committee which monitors Mr Poots's department criticised the decision. Barry McElduff said: "He is missing an opportunity here, a major opportunity to prove that he is capable and willing of being minister for all of the people."
The UUP's David McNarry welcomed Mr Poots's statement.
He said of an Irish language Bill: "This would in itself be counter-productive to local democracy and further undermine good relations, which I know he and I share, and which need to be made on this area."
He hoped that attempts to secure a Bill through Westminster in defiance of the DUP Minister's statement would not succeed.
The SDLP said that the Minister's decision reflected the genuine need for a Bill. Assembly member Dominic Bradley said: "What happened today is proof that a rights-based Irish language Act is necessary precisely to take the language issue out of the political arena.
"Tens of thousands of Irish-speakers simply want to have their language rights laid down in statute, as is the practice in Wales, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland."
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said that, despite the Minister's announcement, "one way or another there will be an Irish language Act".
He said that the decision was not "in the spirit of a new local Assembly", and it would be challenged through the Executive.