Conradh na Gaeilge slams DUP legal challenge to Irish language signs in Belfast station

CONRADH NA GAEILGE has slammed opposition by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to Irish language signage in Belfast’s Grand Central Station, claiming their “mask has slipped”.

It follows the party’s request for a judicial review of Stormont Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins’ decision to give the green light to dual-language signage installation in the transport hub.

Work on the signs have since been halted as a result of what the region’s public transport operator Translink, which owns the €406 million station, cited as “potential legal action”.

DUP leader and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly says the replacement of “virtually new” signage will come at a cost of £120,000 (€143,000) to the taxpayer, an expense she sees as unnecessary.

DUP leader and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Emma Little-Pengelly. Alamy Stock Photo

She added: “I think there is genuine concern. This is a legitimate question to ask, why on earth would we be doing this at this time?”

Conradh na Gaeilge President Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin has strongly criticised the legal challenge.

He told The Journal: ”The DUP are beginning to sound very like the DUP of 2017,” adding: “Their incredibly predictable opposition to dual-language signage takes us back to that fateful Líofa decision.”

Mac Giolla Bhéin is referencing the Líofa Galetacht Bursary Scheme – a programme that funded at least 100 people a year to attend summer Irish language classes – which had its funds cut in 2017 by the then-unionist majority Stormont government.

He continued: “Now, as then, the mask has slipped, and we see a DUP that cannot bring themselves to accept the Irish language in our shared spaces, whilst at the same time blocking a funding mechanism to resolve a €820,000 funding crisis in the north-south body Foras na Gaeilge.”

Mac Giolla Bhéin claims the issue is a “question of equality”, pointing to other cities where dual-language infrastructure works without problem such as in Dublin, Glasgow and Cardiff.

He argues that the signage has been fully endorsed by Belfast City Council, Foras na Gaeilge and all of Belfast’s Irish language community groups, contingent with the ‘resolute action’ tenet of the Good Friday Agreement with regard to Irish language promotion.

Unionist activist Jamie Bryson from the Unionist Voice Policy Studies (UVPS) group is attempting to secure a judicial review in the High Court in Belfast against the Department for Infrastructure decision, which he claims was taken “without Executive approval”.

DUP ministers are expected to bring up the row at tomorrow’s meeting of the Stormont Executive.

A Department for Infrastructure spokesperson said: “Given the potential legal proceedings, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.”

The Department said the decision to install the signs was taken directly by Ms Kimmins, and not by Translink.

Under Stormont rules, ministerial decisions that are deemed significant or controversial should be considered collectively by the power-sharing coalition, rather than by an individual minister.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, said: “That is a matter for the minister and the department in discussion with Translink, but look my view is we should celebrate and respect all languages and all traditions in Northern Ireland.

“But I repeat, we should respect all the languages and all traditions, because that’s the way in which Northern Ireland will continue to progress,” he added.