DUP urged not to create 'crocodile moment' in signage row

The DUP has been urged not to create another “crocodile moment” around the Irish language as a row over proposed signage for Belfast’s new £340m public transport hub gathers pace.

During questions at the Northern Ireland Assembly in Stormont, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly was advised against turning it into a totemic issue.

There has been growing opposition within unionism since Sinn Féin MLA and Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins announced plans last week for dual language signage.

The new Belfast Grand Central bus and train station was opened in September last year.

The cost of providing the new signage has been estimated to be in the region of £150,000.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson told party members at the weekend he would by “laying down a marker” on the issue citing concerns about a waste of public money.

But at the assembly today, SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin said turning the signage row into a big issue would be a mistake.

“Surely it is in no one’s interests to manufacture another crocodile moment - there is far too much work to do.”

The reference to a “crocodile moment” relates to a 2017 comment made during an election campaign by then DUP leader Arlene Foster.

Asked to respond to Sinn Féin pressure for progress on an Irish Language Act, she said more people spoke Polish than Irish in Northern Ireland and she was would not give in to the demand.

“If you feed a crocodile, they’re going to keep coming back for more,” she said.

SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin said it was in no one’s interests to create another ‘crocodile moment’

A significant period of political instability followed during which power sharing was not restored for several years.

The assembly was told last week that new dual language signage would include station directions, passenger information and platform IDs.

It is due to be installed later this year.

But there has been speculation that the DUP may seek to have the decision approved by the entire Stormont Executive, rather than just the Infrastructure Minister.

It is a mechanism which is employed when a decision is believed to cut across more than one department and to be controversial.

Ms Little-Pengelly said it was only right that people had the opportunity to raise concerns about the spending of public money.

“It is incredibly important that people have the ability to ask the question as to why £120,000 at a time when it is financially very very difficult, is proposed to be spent to rip out nearly new signs and to replace those.”

Irish language activists had previously protested at the lack of Irish language signage at the new transport hub and welcomed last week’s decision on its introduction.

Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh of Conradh na Gaeilge said the DUP approach to the matter was similar to the stance it had adopted in 2017.

"It’s a very important decision practically for Irish language speakers to see our language and to be able to use our language normally in public spaces.

“We’re delighted the decision has now been taken and it will go a long way to normalizing the use of Irish on public signage and set down a very important precedent that the Irish language should be displayed in shared spaces.”