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<div class="gmail-col-lg-16 gmail-col-md-16 gmail-col-sm-16 gmail-col-xs-16 gmail-order_title"><h1>Northern Ireland town council reverses 'English only' street-name policy</h1>
<p class="gmail-subtitle_article">It followed a legal challenge by some residents</p>
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</span><div class="gmail-p402_premium"><p><strong>A town council in Northern Ireland has reversed its 'English only' street-naming policy.</strong></p>
<p>It follows a legal challenge in the Belfast High Court from Irish language residents in Antrim and Newtownabbey.</p></div></div>
<p>The policy was only introduced back in February this year.</p>
<p>It was brought forward by the council following a request by local
residents prohibited any language other than English to be displayed on
official council street-signage.</p>
<p>Conradh na Gaeilge say this was "in clear contravention of
international and domestic legislation and guidance, namely the European
Charter for Regional and Minority languages".</p>
<p>It also says this move went against the Good Friday Agreement.</p>
<p>At a judicial review hearing, taken by a local resident, the council
rescinded their policy and agreed to pay the full costs of the
applicant.</p>
<p>A previous ban on Irish-language dual signage was removed in 1995.</p>
<h3>'Need for clear legislation'</h3>
<p>Dr Niall Comer is president of Conradh na Gaeilge.<br> <br>He says:
"Huge credit must go to the Irish-speaking community in the Antrim and
Newtownabbey Council for the fantastic campaign that has ultimately
overturned this policy.</p>
<p>"Conradh na Gaeilge have consistently called for a uniformed approach
to street-signage based on a local plebiscite whereby a simple majority
of respondents in any given street can trigger the erection of
bilingual signage.</p>
<p>"This case, like many others, highlights the need for clear
legislation to direct and inform councils on signage and Irish-language
policies.</p>
<p>"Any incoming Irish language Act must include clear instruction and
provision regarding signage, as is considered a central part of language
legislation around the world.</p>
<p>"Let's not forget also that bilingual signage as proposed by Conradh
na Gaeilge would include the corresponding English placenames as you
would see in Wales, Scotland, Canada, and many other countries
throughout the world."</p>
<p>Gráinne Ní Ghilín is a local resident involved with the campaign.</p>
<p>She says: "Following a complaint by local residents, including
myself, upon seeing the implications of this policy, the chief executive
of the council recently directly responded claiming that the policy in
question was both 'lawful and proportionate'.</p>
<p>"It seems, several weeks later as the case reaches its legal conclusion that this is no longer the case.</p>
<p>"Whilst we welcome the wise decision to revoke this policy, concerns
remain that the views and wishes of Irish-speaking rate payers in this
council were and may again be ignored when the new policy is being
formulated"</p>
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div></div>