The issue flared up in the council chamber on Monday after proposals to allow two Irish Language promotional bodies to make a presentation to a council committee were aired.

Sinn Fein Councillor Johnny McGibbon, the chairman of the council’s environmental services committee, raised the possibility of Conradh Na Gaeilge and Gaelphobal An Lorgain making a presentation a fortnight ago.

However, unionist councillors claimed the presentation would be a prelude to a request for Irish street signs to be erected.

The issue first came to a head in environmental services, where Mr McGibbon’s request for a presentation was quashed on 6-3 majority.

Undeterred, he wanted it pushed onto the agenda of the next policy and resources (P&R) committee, and underlined that it was simply a request by two Irish Language promotional bodies who wanted to make a presentation to the committee.

equality

Monday night’s debate led to a 14-6 vote in favour of the issue being referred to the P&R committee, but only after the issue of the Queen’s Portrait hanging in the Civic Centre and all sorts of equality issues were exchanged.

Alderman Sydney Anderson insisted that the desire to include Irish street and place names was behind the move, adding that Mr McGibbon - as chair of environmental services - had failed in one committee and was “using” another one.

But Mr McGibbon pointed out it was simply a matter of giving a presentation and that the council was sending out the wrong message to a large part of the community that it wanted nothing to do with the Irish culture.

Councillor David Jones said, “That’s rich coming from the very councillor who wants the Queen’s portrait removed from what isn’t even a public sector of this Civic Centre. He moans about minority rights and yet he denies majority rights.”

Councillor Dolores Kelly said, “Isn’t it good to see that the past nine days of talks at Hillsborough are having the required effect. Irish is the native language of this island and is spoken by Roman Catholics and Presbyterians. At least just listen to what these people have to say.”

John O’Dowd said that to refuse the presentation would be in breach of the equality legislation and would be open to a legal challenge.

Alderman Stephen Moutray claimed it was all a move for street names in Irish and asked, “Where do we draw the lines in equality with such a diverse migrant population? Do we include languages like Portuguese, Polish, Lithuanian, Chinese, or whatever?

“We’d need street signs the size of sandwich boards. It would be a total waste of ratepayers’ money.”

After further debate, it was decided on a 14-6 majority to defer the issue to the P&R committee.

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