Stormont minister advised Belfast Grand Central Irish signs decision should have gone to Executive

UTV has seen correspondence between the Communities minister Gordon Lyons and the Infrastructure minister Liz Kimmins which shows government solicitors believe introducing Irish language signage at Grand Central Station in Belfast is a cross-cutting and controversial decision, which should have been referred to the Executive.

Back in March new-in-post Infrastructure minister Liz Kimmins announced she was to introduce Irish Language signage at Grand Central Station at a cost of £150,000.

DUP ministers reacted furiously to the announcement, insisting the matter was controversial and cross-cutting - ie. its impact cuts across two or more government departments.

In those circumstances, Stormont ministers are required to bring matter to the Executive for agreement from other ministers.

When the matter was discussed at the Executive days later, the deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly branded the move “utterly shambolic”.

At the time she told the post-meeting press conference: “I reaffirmed our clear view that this issue is controversial. Therefore it should have been brought to the Executive Committee for agreement. We will be seeking additional information and considering the way forward.”

She added: “All controversial, significant or cross-cutting matters do have that legal responsibility in terms of ministers bringing that to the Executive."

But it didn’t end there. Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson announced he was launching a legal challenge to the decision.

UTV later revealed the Communities minister Gordon Lyons had also decided to legally challenge the move and so had intervened in the Bryson case.

Now UTV has seen correspondence which reveals Liz Kimmins and Gordon Lyons were at odds from the moment the announcement was made.

In no less than seven letters, exchanged between March and and June, the two ministers disagreed over whether the decision was cross cutting and controversial.

Finally on 28th May the Communities minister wrote to his Infrastructure counterpart saying he had received legal advice from the Departmental Solicitor’s Office.

He writes: “That advice confirms that your decision meets the test for ‘controversial’ and ‘cross cutting’ and should have been referred to the Executive for discussion and agreement prior to being made.”

He again urges Mrs Kimmins to bring the matter to the Executive for discussion.

On June 20th Mrs Kimmins replied insisting, again, that as Infrastructure minister “any decision in relation to the provision of public transport clearly falls within my remit.”

In reference to the legal action she went on to say it would be “preferable if we discussed the matter to reach a better mutual understanding of our positions before escalating this matter unnecessarily”.

When UTV asked Mrs Kimmins about the correspondence the minister stuck to her position.

She said: “I wasn’t advised to go to the Executive but I am confident, and still am confident, that it didn’t need to happen. However as there are legal proceedings and the minister for Communities has joined the legal proceedings I think that’s all I can really say at this stage as it is now in the hands of the court.”

If the court finds in favour of the Infrastructure minister the work to introduce Irish language signage will go ahead unimpeded.

However, if the matter is resolved in favour of Mr Bryson and the Communities minister, the Infrastructure minister will come under considerable pressure to bring to matter to the Executive for agreement.

The High Court hearing is due to take place on September 25th.