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<h1 class="gmail-article__title">Allister: Belfast Council’s Irish language officer linked to Union Flag vote</h1>
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<img class="gmail-img gmail-image__img gmail-lead-image__img gmail-cld-responsive" alt="Protestors in Belfast demanded the introduction of an Irish language act during a demonstration at the beginning of April" src="http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_700,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.newsletter.co.uk/webimage/1.7944946.1493830961%21/image/image.jpg" title="Protestors in Belfast demanded the introduction of an Irish language act during a demonstration at the beginning of April">
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Protestors in Belfast demanded the introduction of an Irish language act during a demonstration at the beginning of April
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<h3 class="gmail-article__lead"><p>This week’s vote for an Irish language
officer at Belfast City Council is linked to the vote in 2012 to remove
the Union Flag from city hall, TUV leader Jim Allister has said.</p></h3>
<p>He said: “I’ve nothing against people learning a language but the
special place demanded for Irish, and the ocean of public money
demanded for it, is not only totally unreasonable but part of the
republican agenda to remove the British identity of Northern Ireland. </p><div class="gmail-p402_hide">
</div><p>“There is a direct link between this decision at
city hall and the decision a few years ago to remove the Union Flag from
the building.”</p><div class="gmail-p402_hide">
</div><p>Belfast councillors voted on Tuesday to put the
role of an Irish language officer out to consultation. Unionists opposed
the motion while SF, Alliance, SDLP and People Before Profit supported
it.</p><div class="gmail-p402_hide">
</div><p>Mr Allister said: “This is but the latest manifestation of Sinn
Fein’s aggressive policy of pushing the Irish language and the Alliance
Party’s complicity with the same. </p><p>“Bad as it is the £39,000
annual cost will be a drop in the ocean should a fully fledged Irish
language act be foisted upon Northern Ireland.”</p><p>Belfast UUP
councillor Chris McGimpsey spent five years in the early 1990s promoting
the Irish language, but said he could not support a Sinn Fein motion
attempting to use it as a political weapon.</p><p>He said: “When I
travelled all over Ireland talking about the Irish language from a
unionist perspective I got a tremendous response. A lot of people were
very unhappy with Sinn Fein for trying to politicise it.</p><div class="gmail-p402_hide">
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</div><p>“I think attitudes to the Irish language have
improved but we need to see it promoted in a politically neutral way.
Unionists have once again let Sinn Fein set the agenda.</p><p>“Arlene is now listening to Irish language groups, what I was doing 25 years ago.</p><p>“For those of us who actually see a value in the Irish language, we’ve got to see if we can bring it forward. </p><p>“The Irish language should be something that unites us, not divides us.”</p><div class="gmail-p402_hide">
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</div><p>He said the Alliance Party’s support of the motion was an attempt to attract more nationalist votes.</p><p>Reacting immediately after the vote, DUP councillor Lee Reynolds called it a “love in” between Alliance and SF.</p><p>An
Alliance spokesperson said the party backed its “long-standing policy”
when it supported council’s plans for an updated language policy. </p><p>They
added: “Our best future is one where politicians work for everyone, not
just one section of our community, and while others want to ignore the
positives of this policy for their own gain, Alliance continues to make
its own decisions, aiming to build a welcoming, inclusive diverse city.”</p><p>Belfast’s Irish language officer would be treated as a principal officer receiving between £29,323 and £39,177 per year.</p><div class="gmail-p402_hide">
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</div><p>Newry, Mourne and Down District has three staff members in its Irish language unit.</p><p>Its Irish language development officer falls into the £29,323 and £31,601 principal officer grade.</p><p>The unit also has a community liaison officer and administrative assistant.</p>
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