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<h1 class="gmail-article-header__title">Ulster Students’ Union new Irish Language signage policy ‘makes the university a cold house for unionists and Protestants.’</h1>
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<span class="gmail-article-meta__timestamp-date">Wednesday 21 November 2018</span>
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<h3 class="gmail-article-content__lead"><p>A new bilingual signage policy which includes Irish language has been approved by Ulster University Students’ Union (UUSU).</p></h3>
<p>Announcing the new policy on Twitter yesterday, UUSU
tweeted: “Council Update: The Bilingual Signage policy, to include the
Irish language on all Union signage, has been approved. More information
to follow.”</p>
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</div><p>The motion agreed by the UUSU Council states:
“Student council resolves that the Students’ Union provides for
bilingual signage on all directional, facilitating and welcoming signs
in the Students’ Union to replace existing signage over time. And that
UUSU executive lobbies the University authorities for Irish language
signage on all four campuses.”</p><div class="gmail-p402_hide">
</div><p>Branding the move “utterly unnecessary”, TUV leader
Jim Allister said: “There is no need for it, so it is clearly motivated
by the intent to make the university a cold house for unionists and
Protestants.”</p><div class="gmail-p402_hide">
</div><p>Mr Allister claimed the Irish language has been “weaponised”
and is being used “to discomfort unionists and make them feel like
foreigners in their own land.”</p><p>But welcoming the new policy, Sinn
Féin senator Niall Ó Donnghaile said it was “a positive step forward and
reflective of the growing interest in and demand from Irish speakers to
carry out their daily routines through the Irish language.”</p><p>The
former Lord Mayor of Belfast commended the decision of the UUSU Council,
saying: “It’s important that we continue to promote and increase the
visibility of the Irish language; linguistic diversity, representing and
reflecting languages, not least indigenous languages, are positive
economic and social drivers. </p><p>“Irish speaking students are
entitled to the same language rights as enjoyed by citizens who live
their daily lives through the medium of English and should benefit from
the universal advantages that will no doubt flow from this progressive
move by the Students’ Union Council.”</p><div class="gmail-p402_hide">
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</div><p>The News Letter contacted Ulster University for comment, but was told the new policy is a matter for UUSU.</p><p>A
statement issued by UUSU said: “A motion on the gradual introduction of
bilingual signage within the university was brought forward to last
night’s meeting of Student Council, which is a democratic body made up
of a range of students from across the campuses, who are elected from
the student body. The motion was debated and passed, mandating UUSU to
explore the implementation of the policy.</p><p>“As with all Student
Council policy, UUSU will be working with relevant departments within
the University, and with the student body on the implementation of this
policy, and will take into consideration the Students’ Union and
University’s commitment to promoting good relations across the
Institution.</p><p>“UUSU will continue to work with student councillors,
the wider student body and key stakeholders in the implementation of
all policies that have been passed by its Student Council.”</p></div>
<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>