DUP ministers at Stormont intend to “put a marker down” over the decision to install Irish language signs at Belfast’s Grand Central Station.
Last week Infrastructure Minister, Sinn Féin's Liz Kimmins, announced that Irish signage will be erected at Belfast’s new transport hub which cost £350million to construct. Irish language campaigners were highly critical when the station opened in September last year without Irish signage, with activists staging a sit-in just days after it officially opened. It is estimated to cost £150,000 to erect the new Irish signage.
Minister Kimmins said that as the largest integrated transport facility on the island, that “it is fitting that the Irish language will be visible at the station for Irish language commuters but also for the many visitors to the city”.
Some unionist politicians were angered by the decision. The TUV’s sole MLA in the Assembly Timothy Gaston has called for a cross-community vote at Stormont in an attempt to scupper the decision.
Now in a weekend email to party supporters, DUP leader Gavin Robinson wrote: “This money could have been used to support struggling businesses in (nearby) Sandy Row, which have been devastated by the station’s impact, or to fix the potholes that plague our roads.
“Our team on the Executive have written to the DfI Minister expressing their opposition to this decision and questioning the process for this decision being made. Once again, we see Sinn Féin’s approach to equality laid bare, and that their partisan pet projects take priority over the wider public good.
“This is clearly a controversial matter and our Ministers will use their position at the Executive table to not only get to the bottom of how the decision was made but put a marker down that public money cannot be used to further Sinn Féin’s pet projects.
“I believe we need to put taxpayers first. Ensuring public services are delivered fairly and with efficiency. That means cutting waste and prioritising essential services.”
West Belfast MLA Gerry Carroll branded the DUP's stance as manufactured outrage.
“The time and energy of DUP Ministers would be much better spent finding money to mitigate these cruel cuts to our most vulnerable," said the People Before Profit man.
