First successful Irish language street sign application in council area welcomed as ‘huge step’

A “historic” agreement to install the first bilingual street sign featuring Irish in the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council area has been hailed as a “huge step forward”.

The council’s Environment and Sustainability Committee agreed to install the sign at Glen River Mews in Glenavy during their meeting on Wednesday evening.

Out of 15 eligible residents in the eight dwellings, 14 agreed with the new bilingual sign, while one did not respond to the survey.

The application was made under the council’s dual language sign policy, initially agreed in 2015 and last updated in 2022.

The policy states 33% of a street’s adult residents are required to trigger a survey of all residents, while 66% are needed for the bid to be successful.

The committee’s decision on Wednesday will be brought before the full council later this month for ratification.

Another street in Glenavy, Riverside Court, saw a successful triggering of a survey, but the committee was told the application failed to earn the backing of the required number of residents.

Forty-eight eligible residents reside there in 17 homes, and 26 agreed with the new sign, while two did not, 19 did not respond to the survey, and one response was submitted outside the deadline.

The Riverside Court application will not progress further, and another application for the street will not be considered until 12 months have passed from the date of the original request, as per the policy.

A report for committee members stated the cost of the new sign, that will see ‘Riverside Mews’ in both English and Irish, is approximately £135.

All of the street’s residents will be advised of the new sign’s impending installation via letter.

Sinn Féin councillor Gary McCleave said on Wednesday: “I welcome agreement in committee this evening to move forward and install bilingual signage in our council area for the very first time.

“This is a historic decision and a huge step forward for Gaeilgeoirí living in Lisburn and Castlereagh.“