DUP bid to block Irish signs beside loyalist area fails

Controversy has surrounded a City Hall committee decision to erect dual language street signs in English and Irish at Sicily Park, beside the Taughmonagh Estate off Upper Lisburn Road, after it emerged that while the street reached the 15 percent requirement, more residents in the street said in the survey that they were against the move than were in favour.

Sinn Féin say the surveys are “not a referendum” while Alliance say they are sticking to their view that signs with more opposition than support should be rejected.

During an acrimonious debate at the November meeting of the full Belfast City Council, the committee decision to erect the signs at Sicily Park was sealed after a new poll called by the DUP fell.

Votes from all three unionist parties and Alliance were not enough to match the combined votes from Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the Green Party, Independents and People Before Profit.

The original committee decision involved approval for 49 streets across the city, 48 of which were for Irish and English dual language signs, and one of which was for Ulster Scots and English.

All the streets passed the 15 percent threshold to have dual language street signage, but only Sicily Park had more residents against the new signage than in favour.

The survey for Sicily Park went to 357 residents. They were asked if they were for or against dual language street signs displaying the English, and the Irish, which is Páirc na Sicile. 96 occupiers, that is 27 percent, were in favour, while 120 occupiers, or 34 percent, were not. Eight occupiers, or two percent, had no preference.

DUP Councillor Sarah Bunting said at City Hall: “More residents voted against these signs than voted for them and their views deserve to carry real weight in this chamber. The DUP opposed the reduction in the threshold for this policy to 15 percent, because it allowed proposals to proceed with limited support.

“Meeting that threshold should never be treated as an instruction to erect signs regardless of opposition, or the potential impact on the community relations in the area. We are repeatedly told that this policy is about respect. Then respect must be extended to residents who do not want the street signs changed.

“Community relations cannot simply be an afterthought. Where a proposal has divided opinion, and where residents have opposed more than supported it, pressing ahead risks deepening divisions and undermining confidence in the council’s consultation process.” She proposed the council not proceed with new signage at Sicily Park.

Sinn Féin Councillor Ciaran Beattie said at the meeting: “It is ironic that the DUP and Alliance on one hand support Ulster Scots signs on Ravenscroft Avenue which got 17 percent support, but won’t support Sicily Park with 31 percent.

“Read the policy, it is not a referendum, it is about demonstrating 15 percent support. Sicily Park has actually double that support, with 96 residents in support, in one street.”

The council committee’s officer report on the street signs states: “One resident pointed out that Sicily Park is a main access road to Taughmonagh Estate which is a majority Loyalist area. They believe the erection of signs in Irish would lead to vandalism and civil unrest in an area of mixed religious and political beliefs, which is a normally peaceful and friendly community.