Council's Irish language road sign policy dubbed 'preposterous' by TUV after single vote carries proposal
A council’s policy on Irish language street signs has been dubbed “preposterous” by the TUV, after it emerged that one is being erected on the basis of a single ‘yes’ vote.
TUV spokesman Glenn Moore said Mid Ulster Council should “wise up”, stop “alienating” people, and amend its stance on the signs in wake of the news.
A bilingual Irish-English street signage is going to be erected at Cairn View in Mayogall – roughly between Portglenone and Maghera – on the basis that the only resident who actually responded to the consultation was in favour.
In all, 10 survey letters were issued, in keeping with the policy on bilingual street signage requests, but nine out of the 10 said residents did not reply.
At Oakview in Dungannon meanwhile, four out of 20 residents surveyed returned their survey letters, meaning new Irish-English street signs will be erected there.
And at Sunnyside Road, Stewartstown, 14 survey letters were issued. Seven residents offered a view, all in favour of bilingual signage.
The criteria is that 51% or more responding residents must be in favour.
The closing date for these surveys was December 13.
Mr Moore said: “The preposterous policy of Mid Ulster Council which has resulted in Irish language signage being erected on the basis of a single resident’s request is transparently in need of urgent reform.
“There is minimal demand in many places for this signage and – as the outrageous sums which have been spent on replacing signs shows – significant opposition to the marking out of large parts of the council area as belonging to a single community and culture.
“Mid Ulster Council frankly needs to wise up and spend ratepayers’ money on the priority of local people rather than squandering it in a fashion which only alienates local people.”
The reference to costs refers to a BBC story from last month, which reported on the extent of vandalism of bilingual signs in the council area.
It said almost £60,000 was spent by councils repairing and replacing the damaged signage according to figures obtained by BBC News NI – with nearly two-thirds of the incidents being in the Mid Ulster District Council area.