Belfast Live readers give their verdict on Irish language signs at Grand Central Station

Belfast Live readers have given their verdict on the planned installation of Irish language signage at Belfast’s Grand Central Station.

The planned £150,000 project to install the signs has been paused until October pending the outcome of an ongoing legal challenge.

Sinn Fein Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins gave the go-ahead for the signage in March, but her announcement sparked a row with other ministers at Stormont. The DUP insisted she had a “legal duty” to bring the decision to the wider Executive.

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

That same month, TUV MLA Timothy Gaston sought support from other Assembly members for a petition to refer the decision to the Executive for a discussion. Mr Gaston called on unionist MLAs to “take a stand” and prevent the promotion of the Irish language at Grand Central Station and its availability on Translink ticketing machines.

The petition required 30 MLA signatures to succeed but ultimately Mr Gaston was the only member of the house to sign it. Translink has since halted design work on the signage due to the current legal action.

In a recent poll, we gave you, our readers, the opportunity to have your say on the planned installation of Irish language signage at Belfast’s Grand Central Station.

We asked Belfast Live readers if you think there should be Irish language signage in Grand Central Station. In response, 951 of you said yes but 1,005 of you were opposed to the move while 27 said they didn’t know.

Grand Central Station has been billed as the largest integrated transport hub on the island of Ireland, with services including trains between Belfast and Dublin. When the £340 million station opened last year disappointment was expressed by the Irish language community that the signage did not incorporate Irish.

Back in April, the Secretary of State said that he did not understand the “fuss” over the installation of Irish language signage at the new public transport hub. In an interview with BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme, Hilary Benn said that the installation of the signage was about “respecting and celebrating all of the traditions”.

“I just think there are so many more important things than having an argument about signs. I mean, come on,” he said.