By Adam Kula and PA

Copyright newsletter

As previously revealed by the News Letter, the policy has been in gestation behind closed doors for months, but was put to a vote in the October meeting of the full council tonight. Sinn Fein has hailed the council’s decision. The policy was passed with the support of Sinn Fein, the SDLP, Alliance, People Before Profit and the Green Party. Unionists had opposed it, and it is understood they will continue to fight the issue; TUV councillor Ron McDowell told the News Letter “unionism has come together on the issue and the challenge will be lodged via a call-in as soon as possible”. Under the plans, Belfast City Council (BCC) would replace its current logo with one described as being in “Irish/English”. It also means bilingual signs will be added to council-owned buildings and facilities to “support the growing community of Irish speakers”. This will eventually include Protestant/unionist/loyalist areas too, and will even extend to bins, toilets, and graveyards. The document on which this is based is called the Belfast City Council Irish Language Policy. It sets out which areas are to be covered by the new Irish language signs first, starting with areas listed as Category 1A. This includes: “All BCC facilities in the Gaeltacht Quarter [west Belfast]; “Parks, playgrounds, walks, pitches and local leisure centres in close proximity to gaelscoils; “City-centre facilities (City Hall, 2 Royal Avenue, Belfast Stories, etc); “City-wide family resources (Belfast Zoo, Belfast Castle, etc); “City-wide resources being upgraded or new facilities being built will automatically come into this category; “And city centre public realm signage (street signposts).” Sinn Fein issued a bilingual statement in the name of Tomas O Neill following the vote tonight. During a council discussion about the rap group Kneecap in July, councillor O Neill addressed the chamber in Irish, then refused to translate what he said. Following tonight’s vote, he said: “Strengthening the rights of Irish language speakers and boosting the visibility of the language are central to this policy. “Tonight’s agreement to implement this policy is hugely positive and a historic decision by councillors. “The council’s Irish language policy will be one of the most progressive on this island. “At a time when the Irish language community continues to grow in strength, Sinn Fein will continue working to support this growth and enshrine the rights of gaeilgeoiri.” During the meeting, DUP group leader Sarah Bunting had said: “The ordinary folk of this city just want one thing, value for money on the rates they pay. “Instead this council is spending money like it’s going out of fashion on a fantasy project with little return while crying poverty because we can’t afford the basics that the city needs and deserves.” Councillor Bunting also questioned whether the council “would rather bankroll a culture war than deliver basic services”. Alliance group leader Michael Long said: “We are supporting minority languages rights for an indigenous language. “It’s the same as what happens in other parts of the United Kingdom, whether that’s Wales or Scotland or Cornwall, and I believe that it’s important that we celebrate the diversity within our community.”