A decision is due to be made on Wednesday evening
Belfast City Council is due to discuss a new Irish language policy on Wednesday evening. If councillors decide to adopt a new language policy, it would lead to more widespread use of Irish across the city.
It will lead to a rebrand with a new English-Irish bilingual logo being displayed on Belfast City Council signs, uniforms and vehicles. A total of £1.9m has been earmarked to pay for the changes.
A draft Irish Language policy was approved by the council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee last month but it needs ratification at Wednesday night’s vote. A decision is due to be taken at the monthly meeting of the 60-member council tonight.
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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”.
Here’s what we know so far ahead of Wednesday night’s crucial vote.
What happened at the last council meeting?
Last month, tempers flared at City Hall 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.
The row began after the DUP said workers would be forced to wear uniforms with Irish on them, adding the consultation on the policy was “not worth the paper it was written on”.
What have the DUP said?
The DUP’s Sarah Bunting has called the policy “madness” and claims it could potentially be a dangerous move for council staff. She says the party has been contacted by some workers who say they are worried about their safety in parts of the city if they have bilingual writing on their uniforms.
“Our front-line staff, particularly those who are doing bin collections and street cleansing, they are coming to us and saying that driving vehicles with dual language logos on it, and wearing uniforms with dual language logos on it could pose a safety risk to them going into some areas of the city,” Cllr Bunting told the BBC.
What’s the view ofSinn Féin?
Sinn Féin councillor Tomás Ó Néill says there is increasing support for the Irish language in Belfast, adding that it will showcase the city as more welcoming and diverse.
“The sky isn’t going to fall in when this policy is approved,” he added. “We only have to look at Mid Ulster Council, Derry and Strabane [Council], Fermanagh and Omagh [Council], Newry, Mourne and Down [Council].
“We are not re-inventing any wheel here, we’re just more accurately reflecting the public that makes up this city.”
On the issue of cost concerns, Cllr Ó Néill suggested a gradual implementation with some changes not made until replacements are required and that a £1.9m council underspend would be used.
Is the vote likely to pass?
A decision is due to be taken on Wednesday evening at the monthly meeting of the 60-member council. Sinn Féin is the largest party on the council with 22 seats but does not have an overall majority.
What has the council said?
The proposed new 18-page policy has been published on the council’s website.
A council spokesperson said: “Following meetings of the council’s Strategic Policy and Resources committee… elected members have approved an Irish language policy for the council, along with a high-level implementation plan for the next two years.
“This includes the adoption of a new bilingual corporate identity and logo. Design work for the new identity and logo is ongoing, and further engagement will be undertaken with trade unions as part of this work through the council’s industrial relations framework.”
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