Belfast Irish Language Policy agreed at City Hall amidst 'toxic' debate
Questions still remain over the logo and staff uniforms
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An Irish Language Policy has been agreed for Belfast at City Hall despite what has been described as "toxic" debate.
At the monthly meeting of the full Belfast City Council, held at City Hall on Wednesday, October 1, a draft policy was agreed by the chamber after a tense debate, and a failed amendment from the DUP.
The draft policy sets out how Belfast City Council will promote Irish and use Irish across council services. This includes interpreting and translation, key documents and publications, the council website, signage at the facilities and within our corporate identity, including the council logo. The full wording of the policy will be available on the Belfast Council website.
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Particular attention has been focused on the council logo, with Sinn Féin showing support for an English-Irish bilingual logo being displayed on council vehicles and uniforms, as well as signs. This has not been agreed at this stage, and Alliance have indicated they support a logo with no wording. A total of £1.9million has been agreed for the implementation of the policy, money which is coming from council “underspend.”
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."
At the full council meeting, the DUP proposed an amendment to a decision made last Friday at committee level, proposing that no changes to staff uniforms would be made as result of the policy. On a vote 17 were in favour from the unionist parties, 42 against from SF, Alliance, SDLP, Greens, PBP - and the proposal fell.
The Strategic Policy and Resources Committee last Friday voted in favour of the draft Irish Language Policy, with an amendment that “Under Paragraph 15 Belfast City Council will adopt a new bilingual (Irish/English) corporate identity and logo, having due regard to international best practice for minority languages, to reflect this commitment” and that an educational programme would be included in the implementation plan.
The S,P and R minutes were voted through, with 42 elected reps approving them, from SF, Alliance, SDLP, Greens, PBP, and 17 against, from the unionist parties. This meant the Irish Language Policy was adopted.
Sinn Féin Councillor Tomás Ó Néill proposed the policy be adopted, and spoke in English and Irish on the matter. He said the policy would put “Béal Feirste back into the city, not just in our logo, but in the consciousness of a multicultural multifaceted and multilingual society.”
View 2 Images Some street signs in Belfast are already dual language (Image: Daily Mirror)
He added: “This is an historic moment for Belfast City Council, in agreeing one of the most progressive Irish language policies that we have seen on this island.” He said the policy would “facilitate the continued removal of the language from the political arena.”
DUP Councillor Sarah Bunting said: “We are being asked to sign off on a policy, without a single clear figure on cost. Dare we question what the £1.9 million that has already been signed off on is actually going to cover? Because mark my words, it isn’t a one-off. It will be a recurring cost, the kind that Martin Lewis would tell you to run a mile from. No figures, no transparency, no honesty.” She said the council was “bankrolling a culture war.”
Alliance Councillor Sam Nelson says: “Sometimes when we are having these debates around the Irish language, I genuinely think we are talking about different things. The language we are hearing tonight is about subjugation of people and suppression of cultures. This is just absurdity.
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“What we are talking about is a few words in Irish and positively supporting people who want to see a bit of Irish around the city. It could be a positive discussion but instead we are using toxic language.” He said some representatives were trying to whip up tensions to gain some votes.”
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