Sinn Fein MLA refuses to say if he supports arrest of vandals who damage Londonderry signs

Pat Sheehan was among those contributing to a debate tonight on the subject of Belfast City Council’s Irish language policy.

Throughout the debate there was condemnation a recent attack on a bilingual sign in Shandon Park, east Belfast; on Saturday evening, someone had cut the Irish part off of it with an angle grinder.

The sign had been put there because 16.8% of the residents of the street said they wanted it.

Some 49.59% of residents had explicitly said they did not want it, but it is council policy to ignore them as long as 15% or more of the residents favour the new signs.

The DUP had tabled a debate on the issue tonight.

The motion which it asked MLAs to endorse said: “This Assembly deplores that, since 2022, only 12% of applications for Irish language street signs approved by Belfast City Council commanded the majority support of residents living there, according to recent media reports;

"Contends that with the wishes of the minority trumping the view of the majority in almost nine out of 10 cases, this policy is undemocratic and oppressive;

"Is alarmed that in a number of cases residents have been surveyed repeatedly in an attempt to garner the necessary support;

"Condemns the marking of territory in this way, as well as the imposition of minority rule on residents from all backgrounds and traditions;

"And calls on Belfast City Council to urgently review, and replace, its policy that Irish language street signs can be imposed upon communities with just 15% support.”

Opening the debate, DUP MLA for North Belfast Brian Kingston said: “The new policy is that a survey can be triggered by a request from just one resident in a street or by a councillor to that DEA, who doesn't even have to live in the street.

“As a result of this drastic change, the system has been overwhelmed with requests for surveys at a rising cost to the ratepayers.

"Let me be clear: where residents consent to an Irish sign with no or little opposition, the DUP does not oppose the request.”

However, “we do oppose and will continue to oppose applications for which a majority of residents who have responded to the survey say they do not want a dual language sign”.

He gave two specific examples from his constituency.

In Sunningdale Park North, he said “22 residents were for bilingual signs, but 33 voted against; 60% of respondents against, yet that was forced through by nationalist and Green Party councillors”.

And in Ben Madigan Park South “23% were in favor, but 26% against – and again this was forced through disrespecting the majority wishes of respondents”.

Among those denouncing the angle grinder attack on the Shandon Park Irish sign was Mr Sheehan, representing West Belfast.

At one point North Antrim UUP MLA Jon Burrows interjected to ask him: “Would the member condemn the defacing of Londonderry signs, and would he support people being arrested for that offence by the PSNI – yes or no?”

Mr Sheehan, a former IRA member, replied: “Well, you as a police officer should be able to tell us whether the police carried out any investigations into that or not.

"So I'm here, I'm here to talk about Irish street signs, Irish language, dual language signage.”

After giving his answer in English, he went on to continue his speech in Irish.

One of the things that was cited repeatedly in the course of the debate was the historic involvement of Protestants in the language.

Reacting to this, DUP East Belfast MLA David Brooks said: “I want to address a particular element of the debate that, I think, grassroots unionism is sick and tired of: the disproportionate weight given to outlying examples from a unionist or Protestant background as if they are examples of what unionism really desires...

"I have heard the usual things invoked today, including the history of the Presbyterians in the Irish language, which I respect. We have heard talk of Linda Ervine, who is no doubt passionate about the Irish language.

"As a unionist, however, I know that many people whom I represent are sick of having those examples thrown at us as if they mean that we must adopt it as our culture. Do not tell me what my culture is. Do not tell me what my language is.”

In the end, the DUP motion was defeated by 28 votes for to 41 votes against.