Sinn Fein, DUP and Alliance Party clash after residents vote for first Irish street sign in Lisburn and Castlereagh
A row has broken among parties in Lisburn and Castlereagh Borough Council after Sinn Fein celebrated plans to install the first Irish language street sign in the area.
Sinn Fein issued a statement this week celebrating the "historic" news after the decision by the November Environmental & Sustainability Committee.
The party's Councillor Gary McCleave said the decision will be ratified at a full meeting of the council later this month.
“I welcome agreement in committee this evening (Wednesday) to move forward and install bilingual signage in our council area for the very first time," he said.
“This is a historic decision and a huge step forward for Gaeilgeoirí living in Lisburn and Castlereagh. Sinn Féin will continue working to build a society with rights and equality at its core.”
None of the party's have named the street which voted to adopt the signage, which will include the street name in Irish and English.
Invited to comment, DUP Group Leader on the council, Alderman James Tinsley, said 92% of people in the street in question supported the new signage - which was well above the threshold of two-thirds required in council policy agreed by all parties.
“The DUP does not believe there is a need for bilingual signage within Lisburn and Castlereagh," he said. "Ratepayers want the council to prioritise improving core services and investing in projects that enhance the areas where we live and work.
The council’s policy on bilingual signage is clear. It rightly requires that at least two-thirds of residents on a street must support any such proposal before it can proceed."
Whilst he said some residents expressed concerns about the process involved, the final result - with 92 per cent in favour - significantly exceeded the policy threshold, he said.
It is also worth noting that another proposal failed to meet the required level of support, demonstrating that the current policy is both effective and balanced. However he said the situation exposed inconsistency in the Alliance Party which supports Irish street signs in Belfast when they are requested by just 15 per cent of residents
He said the cost of the new sign would be around £1000 when taking into account the sign itself and the cost of the full process and work by council officers.
The council said the cost presented to the committee for the replacement sign was £135 per sign itself, but did not mention additional costs.
A spokesperson for Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council said the move was approved at committee and would go to full council for ratification.
However Alliance Councillor Claire Kemp hit back at claims the party had an inconsistent policy on Irish street signs.
“Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council approved and adopted its Street Naming and Postal Numbering Policy in 2015. The policy was reviewed in February 2018. The DUP had every opportunity to raise concerns during the review but chose instead to endorse the policy."
She said the move came after "an overwhelming vote in favour" by local residents.
And she insisted her party's position is consistent in Lisburn and Belfast: Where a request is made for the signs "we believe it is reasonable to proceed if there is clear, strong support from local residents".
“It is long past time to depoliticise the Irish language,” she added.