Public consultation begins on Belfast City Council’s Irish language proposals

A public consultation is underway on a draft language policy for Belfast City Council that could see Irish incorporated into the local authority’s logo.

The draft policy sets out how the council plans to promote Irish and use the language across its services, including interpreting and translation, key documents and publications, signage at facilities, and on the council’s official logo and website.

It is the first draft policy to be brought forward as part of the council’s Language Strategy, which also includes strands for Ulster Scots and both British and Irish sign language, and for minority ethnic languages.

However, the proposals to bring Irish into the council’s corporate identity have been criticised by the DUP, which has said the plans are “divisive”.

The draft Irish language proposals were agreed by the council in April, and following the public consultation, councillors will review the feedback and agree steps in developing the final policy.

Both the draft policy and the consultation questions can be accessed via the Your Say Belfast platform at www.yoursay.belfastcity.gov.uk.

The consultation is open for 14 weeks and closes at midnight on November 28. Five in-person information sessions will also take place in the city in September and October.

Meanwhile, the DUP’s group leader on the council, Sarah Bunting, said the proposals “would only serve to divide the people of our city”.

“We have seen over recent weeks the need for all of us to focus on what unites us as a community,” she said.

“It seems incredible, at a time like this, that Sinn Féin, the SDLP, and Alliance, who champion these radical changes to the identity of our city, wish to foist change that they know is divisive at this time.”

Ms Bunting said the 2021 census showed 0.3% of the north’s population said Irish was their main language.

“What, then, is the reason for parity?” she added.

“We have other priorities for our city that we believe the council ought to be focusing on at this time, rather than spending millions on unjustifiable changes to the identity of the council.”