Olympia leisure centre Irish language dispute: People Before Profit MLA says 'the building name is Greek and no-one objects to that - so why object to Irish?'

In response, Edwin Poots characterised the proposed dual English/Irish signage as “an imposition on a community which doesn't want the Irish language”, adding that Mr Carroll is talking “nonsense”.

Meanwhile, when asked its own view, the Alliance Party has said: "We support the Irish language and its use in bilingual street signs. Irish belongs to our whole community.”

The whole dispute stems from a Sinn Fein proposal dating back to 2021.

At that time, a vote was taken by councillors on Belfast City Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee to install the signs.

However the DUP stalled the process by demanding an equality assessment, and now the latest step is that a public consultation into the issue has opened up.

Details on how to respond are at the bottom of the story.

The leisure centre was recently re-built, and stands in the shadow of the National Stadium, Windsor Park (and also has a statue of George Best outside).

It is on Boucher Road – a commercial / industrial district of the city, in the south-west.

The nearest residential area is The Village, which is a loyalist-dominated area.

Local DUP figures have already gone on record as objecting to the signage, and have encouraged others to make their views known too.

Speaking on Radio Ulster today, People Before Profit MLA for West Belfast Gerry Carroll said it is his nearest leisure centre.

"The name of this leisure centre derives from Greek, and people seem to have no problem with that – and rightly so,” he told Stephen Nolan.

"As soon as Irish is suggested or Irish signage is mentioned it's a problem for the DUP. So I think their motives and antics need to be challenged and called out.

"It's too much for the DUP for a bit of Irish to be erected outside a leisure centre.”

He said that if the plan to install such signs is so much as delayed, “the message sent out is: you're not to be seen, you're not to be heard” as far as Irish-speaking residents go.

Mr Poots replied this was “absolute nonsense of a statement from Gerry Carroll”.

He said: “This is an imposition on a community which doesn't want the Irish language imposed on it.

"The nationalist community over the years have complained about parades for example – that aspect of unionist culture that has happened for years in areas.

"They've said: 'No, this is an area that's predominately nationalist now so you can't have your culture in this area'.

"But it's ok to impose a culture which doesn't belong to the unionist community on it?

"Nationalist councillors need to reflect on this and need to pull back from this.

"It [Irish] doesn't offend me personally.

"But if anybody thinks that Irish language hasn't been used politically over the course of the last couple of decades then they must be living on some alternative planet.”

The consultation will run until Sunday, September 17, after which councillors will consider the results.

This afternoon and evening there are consultation events at the leisure centre itself.

Full details are here: yoursay.belfastcity.gov.uk/olympia-signage-eqia

More from this reporter:

• Edwin Poots accuses Tory government of a 'grotesquely stupid' effort to 'strong-arm DUP' back into Stormont by squeezing Northern Ireland's NHS budget

• Coleraine bomb 50 years on: 'Massacre spurred me on to join the UVF'