Irish street signs being used by SF to ‘mark out territory’ claims DUP

And in a vicious swipe at the party DUP Councillor Paul McClean said “It is like what a dog does when it pees – it marks out its territory.”

The comments came during a heated meeting as council policy on dual language street signs was put to the vote for the second time in nine days.

Both motions, from Unionist councillors, to review the policy were defeated.

DUP group leader, Councillor McLean said he was of the belief Sinn Fein are using this as a ‘coat-trailing exercise’.

“The language signs are being used to mark out that this is a nationalist/republican council and what we have seen here tonight is another area where they have dropped the ball.

Council Chair, Councillor Cathal Mallaghan said every councillor is entitled to their opinion but called on Councillor McLean to withdraw his comments likening Sinn Fein members or voters to animals.

“It is unacceptable and does not do your party any favours, like we have seen in the past,” said the Chair.

“In the same week your agriculture minister spoke in a demeaning way to nationalists, I just think this is a continuation of the disrespect that is shown to nationalists right across the north.”

Councillor McLean said: “I made the comparison in the process of what it is.

“The signs are being used to mark out territory as far as I am concerned.

“I believe, as a Council, we function well together but when it comes to things like this, where it seems there is a lack of respect for each other, then these things happen.

“This is an occasion and process where your party, in my view, does not respect the unionist section within the community.”

Independent Councillor Barry Monteith said there is a section of the community who, “abhor Irish culture, who hate the Irish language and are motivated by that”.

SDLP group leader, Councillor Malachy Quinn said he was in a state of “despair” that this issue was being discussed again.

“What has actually happened here is a unionist councillor got a bit of press out of condemning these signs a couple of weeks ago and now everybody is piling on seeing a chance to get a few column inches,” said Cllr Quinn.

“It is not about marking territory as Cllr McLean has put it, it is about pride in the Irish language and the desire to see more of it in the community.

“To keep raising this issue again and again is pretty sad to be honest.”

DUP Councillor Clement Cuthbertson said he was of the understanding the policy has never been reviewed. “Councillors are advertising these as free, but they have to be paid for by the rate payers and I would agree with the view that this is about marking out territory.

“There is no budget for this, the cost of this is split between two different departments and we have never had an accurate costing for the signs yet.”

Ulster Unionist group leader, Councillor Walter Cuddy said he was the councillor, Cllr Quinn had been referring to.

“I have nothing against the Irish language,” said Cllr Cuddy. “All I am saying is the Irish language is the minority language.

“Are there councillors in this chamber who actually think that some time in the future we will all be speaking Irish all of the time?

“I hope we all can see sense but at the minute Sinn Fein and the SDLP just plough on through and say ‘look no chance, this is the way we are doing it and we will just keep marking our territory’.

“It is unfortunate to say that but it is true.”