DUP slams ‘farcical’ Irish language signs special meeting

It comes after the party proposed erecting dual language signs at two west Belfast leisure centres, a move which Alliance Councillor Michael Long said was attempting to “ghettoise” the Irish language.

Instead, City Hall voted in favour of an Alliance proposal for a city-wide strategy on Irish language signage at council leisure centres.

Unhappy with that outcome, Sinn Fein has convened a special meeting at City Hall tomorrow afternoon at 4pm to discuss bilingual signage at Andersonstown and Brooke leisure centres.

DUP group leader on the council George Dorrian said Sinn Fein was “making a mockery” of the process of special meetings.

He told the News Letter: “It is a bizarre move, as the issue was not taken off the table; the council simply voted to refer the matter to City Hall party leaders for further discussion.

“It boils down to Sinn Fein not getting their own way and demanding a special meeting. Are we really getting to the situation where every time a decision is made that they don’t agree with, they go down this road? It is just farcical and damages the credibility of the council to hold special meetings for something like this.”

Councillor Dorrian said the power to approve a special meeting request is at the discretion of the lord mayor; in this Sinn Fein’s John Finucane.

He added: “The mayor is obviously toeing the party line on this, which is unfortunate as he should be acting impartially.

“We have asked for an explanation as to the decision making process behind allowing this special meeting to go ahead.”

The News Letter has contacted Sinn Fein HQ for comment.

Welcoming the confirmation of a special meeting on Twitter, Sinn Fein Councillor Ronan McLaughlin said: “A common sense approach to this issue must prevail.”

Alliance Councillor Michael Long said Sinn Fein’s attempt to place Irish signs only in the west of the city sent out a “negative message that the Irish language only belongs to one tradition”.

He added: “Given that Turas in the heart of East Belfast is one of the biggest providers of Irish language classes in the city, it is ridiculous for Sinn Fein to try and ghettoise the Irish language in this way.”

Sinn Fein’s Niall O Donnghaile, a former lord mayor of Belfast, branded Councillor Long’s remarks “inflammatory”.

He tweeted: “The request wasn’t sought in order to ‘ghettoise’ the language. It was a modest request to meet evidential demand and requirement for Irish language signage in an area awash with speakers.”

The Green Party felt a city-wide approach would be beneficial.

On Twitter, Green Councillor Mal O’Hara wrote: “Irish and other minority languages should be enjoyed across the city and not just in two centres.”