{"id":2016,"date":"2017-02-13T17:16:25","date_gmt":"2017-02-13T17:16:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/factcheckni.org\/?p=2016"},"modified":"2022-03-23T14:06:31","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T14:06:31","slug":"thejournal-ie-are-there-really-more-polish-speakers-than-irish-speakers-in-northern-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/factcheckni.org\/topics\/law\/thejournal-ie-are-there-really-more-polish-speakers-than-irish-speakers-in-northern-ireland\/","title":{"rendered":"TheJournal.ie: Are there really more Polish speakers than Irish speakers in Northern Ireland?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This claim is inaccurate. While the 2011 Census data show more people in Northern Ireland speaking Polish than Irish as their main language, based on other available data it is implausible that there are more who speak Polish than Irish.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The following article was originally published by TheJournal.ie FactCheck project, for its coverage of the 2017 election to the Northern Ireland Assembly. It is republished here by FactCheckNI, by collaborative agreement, of potential interest to our readers.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

FactCheck: Are there really more Polish speakers than Irish speakers in Northern Ireland?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUP leader Arlene Foster raised some eyebrows with her claim during the week. Is it true?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the launch\u00a0of her party\u2019s Assembly Election campaign, DUP leader Arlene Foster took aim at Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s consistent calls for an Irish Language Act, and made an attention-grabbing claim.<\/p>\n\n\n

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There are more people in Northern Ireland that speak Polish, than speak Irish.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Her comments caused a stir on Monday, with the claim featuring in headlines in the Belfast Telegraph, Irish Independent, and Irish Examiner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But is it true?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Claim<\/strong>: In Northern Ireland, more people speak Polish than speak Irish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was said<\/strong>: