NI council’s Irish street name policy ‘decent’ compared to ‘crazy’ Belfast, says councillor

Lisburn and Castlereagh has a 66% threshold for dual language signs compafred to Belfast City Council at 15%.

Residents of two Lisburn streets are to be petitioned on Irish signs amid concerns over a “crazy” language policy approval in Belfast. Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s (LCCC) dual language policy (2015) requires 66% of adults living on a street to support a sign change request compared to 15% from the Belfast City Council policy (2022). The environment committee was presented this week (Oct 1) with requests for Irish and English signage at Riverside Court and Glen River Mews in Glenavy.

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Castlereagh South Sinn Fein councillor, Daniel Bassett said:”I welcome this application for dual signage, it is a great move forward. “Some of my own constituents have contacted me. When can we expect to see the next steps being taken for the Glenavy area?” The Glenavy street sign request was heard at Lagan Valley Island on the same night that Belfast councillors voted in favour of adopting a new draft Irish language policy for widespread use of the language across the city. Sinn Féin has said that support for the Irish language in Belfast is increasing, however the DUP have described plans to adopt the new policy as “madness” and “divisive” A vote of 42 for and 17 against carried the Irish Language policy forward. Lisburn North independent councillor, Gary Hynds said: “There is more respect for residents here than the residents are being given in Belfast who are facing a crazy situation there right now. “Our policy looks pretty decent, but it must be the percentage of people on the street and not just the percentage of those who respond.” The chamber was told that the cost of the two signs would come to approximately £150. However, Killultagh DUP Alderman James Tinsley has asked for the “totality” cost of the whole process to be reported back to members. The Belfast street name policy was changed from 66% to 15%, but despite four reviews of its policy, LCCC has remained at the two-thirds threshold for dual signage change.

A council officer responded: “This is the first stage of the process and we will now check residents’ addresses against the electoral register.

“A petition will be hand delivered to all residents and a report brought back to the committee in November. “The initial request requires 30% of residents and the threshold for a change to dual signage is 66% of people over 18 years old living on that street. So if there are 100 people living on the street petitioned, then 66 of them must agree for change. A report will then come back in November for the committee to consider.”

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