A ROW arose during Monday's monthly Council meeting over the use of 'gimmicky' fonts on dual language signage in the city.

SDLP Councillor Gary McKeown proposed that the Council deliver a report exploring the use of different font styles on bilingual signage, with the proposal examining traditional cló Gaelach and other fonts. The proposal also looked at developing a distinctive font for Irish language signs to give them a 'unique Belfast character'.

The proposal would also include looking into other fonts for other languages besides Irish and English should a bilingual sign, for example, be erected in Polish or Cantonese.

Sinn Féin opposed the proposal, stating any bilingual signage should be in the same type as in English and not in the traditional cló Gaelach type.

Sinn Féin Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly said that any signs should be plain to read. This led to an intense debate between the two parties over which typeface was preferable and the merits of each.

SDLP Councillor Carl Whyte argued typefaces can celebrate heritage and the report would cost Council time but not money adding the cló Gaelach type was used by council's throughout Ireland.

Sinn Féin Councillor Ciarán Beattie rejected this and said it would be a waste of time which would cost money and said the Irish language community did not want it.

Sinn Féin Councillor Tomás Ó Néill spoke next and stressed he wanted the language to be visible to all speakers in Belfast:

“I feel that it comes across as gimmicky and devalues it a wee bit…part of the reason for this policy was to increase visibility of the language and to see the language reflected in our public infrastructure and landscape because so many of our citizens are daily speakers of the language”.

“I don’t need it in some lovely Seánchló; I don’t need it in some Gaelic font that somebody wants to throw up in an Irish bar in New York. I just want to see it in public infrastructure.”

DUP Councillor Dean McCullough said that the SDLP were electioneering and they would not support the motion.

East Belfast Sinn Féin councillor Pádraig Donnelly said that he worked as an Irish teacher and cló Gaelach was not used in teaching and children would be unused to the typeface and lose confidence in reading the signage and as a teacher he did not want children to lose confidence while learning.

SDLP Councillor Séamus de Faoite argued that the Council voted for another report to be made on dog fouling but would not entertain a report on fonts, he further noted that it would also be about other languages, besides Irish.

Councillor Michael Long from Alliance asked could the Council ask the Irish language community their opinions and said he would support the motion to look into different fonts.

The debate ended with an interjection from TUV Councillor Ron McDowell who said the debate over street signs in Irish as being part of the city's heritage was untrue and that although the Irish language was part of the city's DNA, it was not "the overriding factor".

Councillor McDowell mentioned some historical statistics relating to the city's religious denominations before claiming that "Belfast is a predominantly Ulster-Scots town".

A vote was then held and the motion to look into the fonts was rejected by 37 votes to 20.

Editor's note: A previous version of this article stated Councillor Tomás Ó Néill said Cló Gaelach/Seánchló signs were 'gimmicky'. We are happy to clarify Councillor Ó Néill did not say this about Cló Gaelach/Seánchló and was referring to another type of font.