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A collective unionist attempt to ‘call in’ a council’s bi-lingual sign strategy has failed to gather support amid concerns of “persistent inequality”.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) recently approved joint Irish and English gateway signs for almost 90 communities in its authority.
In opposition the DUP walked out of the chamber and stepped away from the equality and good relations committee after six years of discussions on bi-lingual signs resulted in non-agreement.
The five DUP elected members spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) this week as the deadline for an appeal closed.
They said:”We tried to use the call-in procedure to have the bilingual signage decision from last Monday’s (June 2) council meeting reviewed.
“However, the council’s six unionists (including UUP rep David Taylor) were the only councillors who signed this form before the deadline today (June 9), one short of the requirement.”
“It is disappointing that vital concerns around the procedures and the community impact of the decision is only of interest to unionists, and as a minority community in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council we continue to be cast aside, disregarded and disrespected. Once again, consensus politics seems to have been forgotten about in NMDCC.”
A ‘call in’ is provided for in the Local Government Act (2014) to allow for a review of a council decision.
The appeal must have 15% of the elected members with NMDDC having 41 reps, making the threshold seven.
In the current council term there are five DUP members and one UUP, making a total of six councillors from the unionist community.
Other members making up the chamber are eight SDLP, 20 Sinn Fein, two Independent and five Alliance.
The DUP left the chamber last week following its motion to ban trans-women from using council female toilets was not debated in the full council chamber. It was instead sent to the equality and good relations committee to be discussed by deputy chairperson Gerladine Kearns of Sinn Fein.
A Sinn Fein motion for an all island election in the upcoming Irish presidential campaign was allowed to be debated moments later, with the DUP then taking action to leave.
The group added:”The DUP took the regrettable decision to withdraw from the council meeting due to the continued disrespect towards the DUP and those we represent, namely forcing through Irish signage without the consent of unionists and refusing to allow the DUP to debate important issues in full council meetings.
“In relation to bilingual town gateway signage, we have expressed our concerns with the council installing Irish leading signage in towns where the vast majority of residents do not identify with or use the Irish language
“In relation our motion on the Supreme Court ruling (on biological women) and its impact on the council approach to sexed toilets, it is disappointing that such an important and current issue was not allowed to be discussed in an open council meeting because it was deemed to be ‘controversial’ and must instead be discussed at the Good Relations group.
“While our motion was denied a public debate, moments later a controversial motion from Sinn Fein which has nothing to do with this council regarding Irish presidential elections being extended to Northern Ireland was allowed to be fully debated during the same full council meeting.
“This is the disparity shown towards unionists on only one evening and doesn’t even scratch the surface of what our party has had to endure in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council for many years. The inequality towards unionists is a persistent problem and must end.”
