Backlash after loyalist group urged minister to halt Irish language school in east Belfast

The Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) has faced a backlash after the group called on the education minister to halt any plans to build an Irish language school in east Belfast.

Representatives from the LCC, led by chair David Campbell, met with Paul Givan on Tuesday and said they had told the DUP minister that any proposed school “has no meaningful support from the local unionist and loyalist population and no consultation had taken place with local residents”.

In June, Belfast City Council gave the green light for a proposed temporary nursery and primary school, a soft play area, new access, parking, landscaping, and ancillary site works at lands adjacent and east of 44 Montgomery Road, east Belfast, with the applicant Bunscoil na Seolta of Glenmachan Road.

On a recorded vote, the application received 11 votes in support and five against the plan — the opponents were all DUP councillors.

A spokesperson for Scoil na Seolta said: “Our school offers a safe and inclusive environment for all children from across east Belfast. With over 100 expressions of interest from parents in the past weeks we look forward to welcoming children through our doors soon.

“Our school is fully independent, sourcing its own funding, and has not relied on the Department of Education for any financial assistance.”

The council had received just two objections from a resident and an elected representative and nine letters of support from the public.

Politicians from across the spectrum have condemned the LCC’s criticisms.

Doug Beattie, ex-UUP leader, hit back on X (formerly Twitter), noting how the LCC felt “threatened by: A temporary nursery, a primary school and a soft play area. ‍I do not believe this represents the majority view of the loyalist community”.

Brian Smyth, Green Party councillor for Lisnasharragh, in east Belfast, believes “we live in a very sick and twisted society” to have an organisation such as the LCC “perpetuating fear” about a school for children aged three to 11.

The LCC is made up of community representatives, and within that are also representatives for the UVF, UDA and Red Hand Commando groups.

Sinn Féin MP John Finucane said: “It’s outrageous that a group which includes representatives of loyalist gangs are attempting to influence decisions about our children’s future and right to be educated through the language of their choice.”

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Alliance education spokesperson Nick Mathison also hit out, saying “questions must be asked about the minister’s judgment in this case; he should be seeking to remove all paramilitary influence over our children and young people, rather than giving their views a platform”.

The LCC delegation meeting the minister also said its objective was ending educational underachievement in loyalist areas and outlined some of its pilot projects that have supported school activities in north and west Belfast.

They said the minister was asked if the ‘Fair Start’ education strategy that had been commissioned by previous education minister Peter Weir was still on the table to be implemented and the minister confirmed that it remained departmental policy subject to funding.

One of the key findings of Fair Start was educational underachievement was particularly high in young Protestant boys, but despite providing a costed action plan, little progress has been made in addressing any of the issues raised.

The LCC delegation also emphasised support for the early intervention measures in the strategy and stressed that no child should leave primary school without core literacy and numeracy skills.

Brian Smyth responded: “Political unionism has never treated its working class fairly. It’s always used them as an angry mob. They have systematically let down working class communities for decades.

“You want to end educational underachievement? What I think would help is having loyalist paramilitaries dissolving away, as young people in working class areas don’t feel that sense of fear of being coerced into paramilitary structures.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: “Paul Givan, Education Minister met with the LCC to discuss a range of issues relating to education underachievement in loyalist areas and undertook to share information on DE’s RAISE programme and other relevant initiatives. The meeting was arranged at the request of the LCC.”

​The DUP and its leader Gavin Robinson, who is also MP for East Belfast, have been contacted for comment.