POBAL was founded in January 1998 when representatives of a number of Irish language groups got together to discuss the development of the Irish language. It was agreed at the first meeting that an umbrella group was needed to raise the profile of the Irish language, to distribute information, to provide a democratic forum and to give strategic direction. It was also clear that there was great interest in POBAL from groups outside Belfast who wanted to participate in the organisation, but that we did not have the resources to meet their needs. This is still a problem!

For two years, POBAL depended entirely on the voluntary input of its membership. In December 1999, we employed two full-time workers with financial assistance from the Belfast European Partnership Board and the Irish Lottery (An Chrannchur Náisiúnta).

Since then, our work has included the organising of information meetings with the NI Human Rights Commission, the NewTSN Unit from the Equality Office,

The Arts Council (NI), the Belfast Education and Library Committee and the Early Years Partnership, and with International Human Rights Legislation lawyer, Dr. Fernand de Varennes.

Submissions have been prepared concerning financial targeting for deprived areas and groups, human rights proposals and funding for the arts. On an ongoing basis, we have fed into consultation processes on the development of tourist initiatives in Belfast and the development of marketing initiatives for the city as a whole.

Questionnaires were issued in February 2000, to 17 Irish language groups, member organisations of POBAL, to find out the needs and indeed the difficulties encountered by these groups, as well as their opinions in relation to the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the cross-border Language Board.

At the time of writing, 14 questionnaires - 82% - have been returned.