Belfast Live readers are divided over city council's Irish language plan

Belfast Live readers are somewhat divided over Belfast City Council’s new Irish language policy, latest data reveals.

It comes after Belfast City Council last month voted through a new policy to promote use of the Irish language. It will lead to a rebrand with a new English-Irish bilingual logo being displayed on council signs, uniforms and vehicles

The new draft policy aims to remove barriers to the use of the Irish language in public life, promote the learning of Irish, support the promotion of Irish through council facilities, programmes and events and take action to promote and protect the Irish language across its public-facing services.

It also includes a pledge for the council to adopt a dual-language approach to signage at all its facilities. The policy comes with a two-year implementation plan, is expected to see a new identity, including a logo designed for vehicles and uniforms.

Around £1.9 million of funding has been initially earmarked for the measures.

In the end, an Irish Language policy was agreed for Belfast at City Hall despite what was described as “toxic” debate.

At the monthly meeting of the full 60-member council held on Wednesday, October 1, a draft policy was agreed after a tense debate, and a failed amendment from the DUP.

Just a month earlier, tempers flared in the chamber over Irish language issues, as the council agreed “in principle” to have a bilingual logo featuring Gaeilge as part of its emerging Irish Language Policy.

In scenes described by some councillors as “unedifying”, at the full monthly Belfast Council meeting held on September 1, DUP and Sinn Féin elected representatives shouted across the chamber to berate each other over the Irish language.

We asked Belfast Live readers in a recent poll whether or not the Irish language should be displayed on Belfast City Council signs, uniforms and vehicles.

We received over 1,400 responses and the result was close. In response, 56% of you are opposed to the move while 43% said yes and just 1% said they don’t know.

Unionist parties opposed the policy, and are co-operating on a “call-in” mechanism within the council to force an official review of the decision taken at last month’s meeting.

Sinn Féin say there is increasing support for the Irish language in Belfast but the DUP have described plans to adopt the new policy as “madness” and “divisive”.

It has also been reported that loyalist paramilitaries threatened to burn council buildings or vehicles displaying Irish signage in a bid to make the new policy unworkable.