BELFAST City Council has passed a motion calling on Translink to install bilingual signage at the new Weavers Cross/Cros na bhFíoirí transport hub in the city centre.

The multi-million pound development is set to open later this year and will be the largest transport hub on the island, with 26 bus stands and eight railway platforms and will replace the Europa Bus Centre and Great Victoria Street Station which will both be demolished with future plans to build housing, office space and other projects on the site.

Irish language group An Dream Dearg last month held a protest outside the new development calling on Translink and the Department for Infrastructure to ensure the new facility, which is located at the edge of Belfast's Gaeltacht Quarter, has bilingual signage which reflects local residents and the growing number of people in the city living their lives through Irish.

Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd later met with Conradh na Gaelige and confirmed his department's support for bilingual signage at the site.

Sinn Féin Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly who put forward the motion to Belfast City Council on Monday night said she was hopeful Translink would listen to the council and make the new transport hub inclusive for all.

Róis-Máire said: "The new Grand Central Station at Weavers Cross is a state-of-the-art addition to the city. We want to ensure that all shared public spaces within our city are welcoming and caters to the needs of all who will make use of them, including the Irish language community. 

"I’m delighted that other councillors supported this motion and that a letter will be sent to Translink urging them to install bilingual signage at Cros na bhFíoirí but will ask what steps they are taking to the obligations they have under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.

"I am hopeful that Translink will listen to the needs of Belfast and work to ensure this space is inclusive to all citizens from the opening."

Eoghan Ó Garmaile from An Dream Dearg said: "We warmly welcome the very timely motion passed at Belfast City Council which fully supports the erection of dual language signage at Cros na bhFíodóirí and that the Council will now be corresponding directly with Translink on the issue.

"We have been clear throughout the past two years of this process that public and shared spaces like Cros na bhFíodóirí can no longer exclude the Irish language; last night's motion means that we now have clear community support, council support, as well as the support of the Minister for Infrastructure himself.

"That cross-cutting coalition supporting dual-language provision is extremely strong and should urge Translink to reconsider their monolingual position on this issue. The onus is now on Translink to engage, to commit and to fully realise their obligations under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages through comprehensive bilingual provision."