THE DUP have tabled a petition of concern in an effort to block legislation on Irish-medium education.
West Belfast MLA Pat Sheehan, Sinn Féin's Education Spokesperson, had introduced a private member's bill, the Irish-medium Education Workforce Plan Bill which would require the Department of Education to prepare a workplace plan for schools in the Irish-medium sector.
Speaking in Stormont on Monday, DUP leader Gavin Robinson said that the petition of concern would aim to keep "the arrogance of Sinn Féin" in check, before confirming that the party had tabled a petition of concern on the matter, due to be discussed in the Assembly tomorrow.
Mr Robinson said that the DUP understood that the petition would receive the support of other unionists. Any petition of concern requires the signatures of 30 members of the Assembly from at least two parties, and means any vote would require cross-community support from a majority of unionists and nationalists in the chamber.
Pat Sheehan said the planned veto to the bill would "harm children who wish to learn through the Irish language".
"They are trying to stop a requirement to plan for enough teachers, classroom assistants and special educational needs staff for children learning through Irish," he added.
Mr Sheehan said that "the sector told the Education Committee clearly why this was needed".
"Schools face staff shortages. Teachers are overstretched. Children need support. This Bill would require the Department to plan properly to meet those needs.
"And the DUP’s response is to reach for a veto.
"What exactly threatens them? A child having a teacher? A pupil with special educational needs getting support through the language in which they learn?
"These children deserve the same opportunities as every other child."
Mr Sheehan described the DUP's actions as "part of the same old ugly, sectarian pattern".
"Sammy Wilson’s 'leprechaun language'. Gregory Campbell’s 'curry my yoghurt'. The dismissal of demands for Irish-language legislation as 'toilet paper'. Paul Givan wishing children a happy Christmas as he cut their Líofa bursary, Gordon Lyons going to the courts to block Irish language signs. The list goes on.
"Now the DUP wants to add blocking a workforce plan for Irish-medium schools to that record. It’s nothing but anti-Irish bigotry.
"The DUP talked about punishing Sinn Féin, but his move will punish children who wish to learn through the Irish language, it’s their families and their schools who will bear the consequences.
"The DUP should abandon this attempt, allow the Assembly to vote and explain why planning for these children’s education is something they are so determined to prevent.”
