Stormont protest over DUP block on funding for Irish language schemes

Hundreds of Irish language activists have gathered at Stormont to protest at a decision by the DUP to block cross-border funding for schemes supporting the language across the island of Ireland.

The joint funding from the Irish Government and Stormont can only be released if the DUP signs off and to date it has refused to do so.

As a result Foras na Gaeilge has had to make cuts of almost €820,000 to schemes on both sides of the border.

Conradh na Gaeilge, which organised today’s protest, says the cuts have resulted in many Irish language groups across Ireland facing huge financial pressures, with many community schemes greatly reduced or cancelled.

A similar protest will be held at Dáil Éireann tomorrow afternoon.

Pupils from Irish language schools in Belfast and Derry joined today’s rally along with members of some of the groups facing cutbacks.

Fionnuala Nic Thom, of cultural group An Droichead in Belfast, said the cuts have had a devastating impact at a time when demand for Irish language services in the city is reaching record levels.

“We have more people coming through our doors in our centre here in Belfast than we have ever had and we’re having to reduce our services because we don’t have the proper funding to provide the services,” she said.

"There is a huge revival happening and at a time when there should be more investment there are cuts happening.

“It’s insulting for the Irish language community at a time whenever there’s such demand that cuts are being made.”

Siúbhán Nic Amhlaoidh of Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin in Derry said the cuts have been compounded by 20 years of disinvestment in the Irish language.

“We’ve suffered cut after cut after cut and these latest cuts will mean us being able to do less at a time when demand for our services is increasing,” she said.

"It means the likes of our summer camps not being able to be made available, the likes of family activities and activities for young people. It means we have to look at what we can do, even what days we can open, can we afford to heat buildings, and we can’t carry out maintenance on the buildings.

“It’s really at a point now where it’s not good enough, and it has not been good enough for the last 20 years.”

A number of Sinn Féin, SDLP and Alliance Party members and People Before Profit’s Gerry Carroll joined the protest.

Speaking afterwards, Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh of Conradh na Gaeilge called on Sinn Féin and other members of the Stormont Executive to put pressure on the DUP to unlock the funding.

“We understand the DUP have blocked a paper that could resolve this issue and funding crisis going on to the Executive agenda seven times since October and that is not acceptable,” he said.

“Our message to all of the parties that supported us here today is first of all thank you for standing in solidarity with us, but also not to let the DUP get away with this.”

There was a boost for the Irish language sector yesterday with an announcement that bilingual signage will be installed in Belfast’s new £340m Grand Central rail and bus station.

The move follows criticism from Irish language campaigners since the transport hub opened in September.

Stormont’s Infrastructure Minister, Liz Kimmins of Sinn Féin, announced yesterday that new bilingual displays will include passenger information and customer service signs and signage on all Translink ticket vending machines.