Surveys for dual language Irish Street signs will go ahead in two East Belfast Streets despite Belfast Council officials highlighting “potential adverse impacts”.
A DUP proposal to block surveys for Mount Merrion Avenue and Isoline Street in East Belfast failed on a vote at a Belfast City Council Committee meeting this week.
A report for the council’s People and Communities Committee raised issues in relation to applications for dual language street signs in Irish received by the council for Mount Merrion Avenue, Isoline Street, Onslow Gardens, Lismain Street, Kimberley Street, and Loopland Drive.
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Elected members were given two options, to agree that surveys of occupiers of these streets be carried out, or agree that no surveys would be carried out, on the grounds of the potential adverse impacts identified, and then close the applications.
The council’s Dual Language Street Sign policy states that “each application will be subject to an initial assessment for any potential adverse impacts on equality, good relations and rural needs and where any adverse impacts are identified that information will be brought to the committee”.
The council report states: “The initial assessments were carried out for all the streets listed and potential adverse impacts were identified. Draft equality screenings were therefore carried out.
“The screenings have identified that the carrying out of surveys and the erection of Irish language street signs in these areas has the potential to give rise to community tension. Conversely the screenings also identified that the process could assist in promoting cultural and linguistic diversity.”
On Mount Merrion Avenue, Councillor Davy Douglas, member for Lisnasharragh, raised a formal objection to the appliaction, stating: “Mount Merrion is a mixed area bisecting the Cregagh estate and Flush Park, both traditional unionist areas. There have been issues in the area in recent years around messaging and posters on the Cregagh bonfire, with election posters being stolen. However, a lot of progress has been made in the past couple of years.”
He added: “I feel that the adoption of Irish street signage could be seen as divisive and have an adverse impact on good relations within the community, undoing some of the progress that has been made to date. I would therefore ask that the council exercise its discretion not to apply its policy at this location.”
Regarding Isoline Street, Councillor Ruth Brooks, member for Titanic, raised an objection stating: “According to the 2021 census results, this street and neighbouring streets has a population of 352 people across 220 households. Of this figure, 8 percent claim to have ‘some ability’ in Irish, meaning that approximately 28 people would have some ability to understand an English-Irish dual language sign.
“In comparison, 11 percent of this area have some ability in Ulster-Scots. This community does not want street signs in either language”
She added: “The enforcement of Irish language street signs in this context may attempt to garner respect for the language, but it will unlikely encourage genuine acceptance or a positive sentiment within the community.
“The neighbouring street of Clara Street is used as a loyalist parade route throughout the year. The introduction of street signs in Irish within this area will be interpreted as politically and culturally insensitive, and antagonistic.
“Under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, Belfast City Council need to have a due regard for promoting equality and fostering good relations. The implementation of Irish in an area that has no natural ties with the language but strong loyalist ties, will be seen to contravene this obligation and heighten tensions.
“Understanding that this application was first lodged in 2022, I wish to request that the council exercises its residual discretion under the Dual Language Street Sign Policy to not proceed with the application for English-Irish Street signs in Isoline Street.”
At the committee meeting, a DUP proposal to agree that no surveys would be carried out on the two streets and to close the applications, failed. Five elected members from the DUP were for the proposal and 15 against, from Sinn Féin, Alliance, the SDLP and the Green Party.
Residents surveys will go ahead now in all of the streets raised - Mount Merrion Avenue, Isoline Street, Onslow Gardens, Lismain Street, Kimberley Street, and Loopland Drive.
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