Data from the 2025 Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) survey indicates that public views on language and identity may be far less divided than political discourse frequently suggests.

According to the findings, 56% of those surveyed believe the Irish language contributes to the richness and diversity of Northern Ireland, while 45% feel the same way about Ulster-Scots.

The NILT survey is an annual initiative by ARK—a joint venture between Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University—which tracks public opinion on critical social issues. For the 2025 study, 1,244 adults aged 18 and over shared their perspectives on a variety of subjects affecting daily life, including AI, integrated education, abortion, gender-based violence, the criminal justice system, and community relations.

The research also highlighted strong backing for language education, with 45% of respondents stating that learning Irish in school is beneficial for children, and 31% expressing the same sentiment regarding Ulster-Scots. The survey unveiled notable variations based on age and gender. Support for Irish language initiatives was highest among adults aged 18–44, whereas backing for Ulster-Scots peaked within the 25–44 age bracket. Women demonstrated higher levels of support than men for integrating both languages into the school curriculum, with 48% favouring Irish (compared to 42% of men) and 34% favouring Ulster-Scots (compared to 29% of men). Women were also more supportive of increased promotion from the Northern Ireland Executive.

Supported by the Department for Communities, this specific research update was compiled by Dr Aisling O'Boyle from Queen's University and Professor Lorna Carson from Trinity College Dublin.

Discussing the data, Dr O'Boyle observed: "The results of the NILT 2025 Survey have given us a really interesting picture of attitudes to the Irish language and to Ulster-Scots language, heritage and culture. It reveals that there is robust positive public support for the Irish language and Ulster-Scots as a way of enriching life in Northern Ireland."

Dr Paula Devine, Director of the NILT survey from Queen's University, added: "For over 25 years, the Northern Ireland Life and Times survey has been recording public attitudes to key social issues affecting our lives. Given the appointment of the two language Commissioners, as well as an Office for Identity and Cultural Expression, the data provides timely information on language and identity in Northern Ireland."

Additionally, the survey highlighted the top five most popular methods chosen by the public to discover more about Irish and Ulster-Scots:

• Visiting Gaeltacht areas (where Irish is predominantly spoken) and hairtlains (regions with distinct Ulster-Scots provenance and significance)

• Television and radio

• Online courses

• Apps

• Informal education

The Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) Survey 'Words Matter. Public attitudes to the Irish language and Ulster-Scots' is available here: www.ark.ac.uk/nilt/2025/