If you don’t want Irish language electoral wards, say so now

The Local Government Boundaries Commissioner for Northern Ireland has just published her provisional recommendations.

Buried in her 53-page report at paragraph 5.5 (page ten) is the following: “I have to date received a representation that both districts and wards should be named in Irish or bilingually with English or in a trilingual naming convention with both English and Ulster Scots. I have not included this in my provisional recommendations; I would invite further representations on this issue in the course of the wider public consultation that is now open.”

If readers do not think that these suggestions are a good idea, they can go to the consultation survey web page which can be accessed at https://consultations.nidirect.gov.uk/dfc/lgbc-provisional-recommendations/consultation/ and fill in the sections “About you” and “Additional comments”.

Dr Paul Kingsley

Belfast