Irish Language row at Belfast Grand Central Station: DUP urged to clarify if it can block Sinn Féin’s 'solo run' ministerial decisions
The DUP has been pressed to clarify whether it has lost powers to stop Sinn Fein ministers going on solo runs, after the party's Infrastructure Minister announced plans for Irish language signs in Belfast Grand City Station.
Stormont Infrastructure Minister and Sinn Fein MLA Liz Kimmins said last week that the bi-lingual signage will be installed at the brand new transport hub in south Belfast, at a cost of some £145,000.
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said today that the decision will be raised at a meeting of the Executive on Thursday, as it was "a perfectly legitimate question" about public finances.
At the weekend, DUP leader Gavin Robinson emailed party supporters, saying the signage was “clearly a controversial matter” and that his party will put a "marker" down at Stormont to block Sinn Féin spending money on "pet projects".
However, it cannot be treated as a controversial matter - and then be put to a wider vote - unless this is agreed jointly by Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle O’Neill and DUP deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.
However, with Ms O'Neill unlikely to sign the decision off as controversial, the DUP could be faced with the prospect of taking a legal challenge on the issue - if they want to take a stand.
But speaking in the Assembly today, TUV MLA Timothy Gaston pressed the DUP on whether they had lost the power to do so.
Citing his concerns, the MLA quoted from an extended warning in the News Letter in 2020 penned by DUP Special Advisor Richard Bullick.
At the time, Mr Bullick warned that the DUP won key safeguards for unionism at St Andrews talks in 2006 - but was at that point potentially "sleepwalking" into removing them.
"It is time for Unionism to unitedly take a stand for the loyalists of South Belfast," Mr Gaston told the assembly today.
He did not mind whether this was by petition or by a ministerial call in.
"If, however, this issue exposes that Richard Bullick was correct in his article of July 2020 which warned that Executive Committee (Functions) Bill significantly weakened the ability of Unionists to stop Republican Ministers going on solo runs then the whole basis for devolution is called into question."
The News Letter invited the DUP to respond to the TUV claim but the party had offered no response at the time of going to press.
However, speaking on BBC Radio Ulster Talkback on Monday - several hours after Mr Gaston's public challenge - DUP MP Gregory Campbell declined to say if a legal challenge was on or off the table.
Asked if a judicial review legal challenge was possible, the MP replied "let's just wait and see". His party needs full information about the minister's decision first, but added "we will do whatever we can to try and stop it".
In the Assembly today SDLP MLA Sinead McLaughlin told Ms Little-Peneglly that on the restoration of the Assembly last year, she “pledged to recognise and respect differences, and to work tirelessly for all people living in Northern Ireland”. But she asked whether this was “meaningless” when the DUP opposes the Irish signage,
Ms Little-Pengelly responded: “I can assure the Member that I will continue to work for everyone throughout this place.”
She said she was focused on public services, but it was “incredibly important” that questions can be asked, such as the cost to “rip out nearly new signs and to replace those” at Belfast Grand Central Station at a time of strained public finances.
“It is a perfectly legitimate question because I am here to protect and support our public services and try to make sure that people can live the very best lives that they can, with the quality of the services that they deserve,” she said.
A DFI spokeswoman responded: “Given the potential legal proceedings, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.”
A UUP spokesperson said that for ministers to choose multilingual signage over other vital services is simply "a dereliction of duty". He added: "It is also very important to recognise how the Irish language, which should not be seen as a threat to anyone, has been weaponised for over 100 years by elements within republicanism."