{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998/section-78J",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998/section-78J.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1998/47",
  "legislation_title": "Northern Ireland Act 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998",
  "path": "section/78J",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "78J",
  "heading": "Recognition of the status of the Irish language",
  "text": "(1) The purpose of this Part is to provide official recognition of the status of the Irish language in Northern Ireland by—\n(a) providing for the appointment of an Irish Language Commissioner,\n(b) providing for the development of standards of best practice relating to the use of the Irish language by public authorities, and\n(c) requiring public authorities to have due regard to such standards.\n(2) This is in addition to any other official recognition of the status of the Irish language including, for example, in—\n(a) section 28D,\n(b) the North/South Co-operation (Implementation Bodies) (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/859), and\n(c) provision relating to Irish-medium education.\n(3) Nothing in this Part affects the status of the English language.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Pt. 7B inserted (22.5.2023 for the insertion of s. 78K, 29.1.2026 for the insertion of ss. 78J(1)(a)(b)(2)(3), 78L(1)(2)(a)(3)-(5), 78M, 78N and 78Q and otherwise prosp.) by Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022 (c. 45), ss. 2(1), 10(2); S.I. 2023/566, reg. 2(c); S.I. 2026/75, reg. 2(b)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/47/section/78J",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:22:12.253813+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}