[lg policy] Storm over QUB refusal to put up signs in Irish

[Harold Schiffman]

 Storm over QUB refusal to put up signs in Irish
[image: Queen's University] *1* *1* Queen's University

By *Rebecca Black*

March 13 2018

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Irish language groups have reacted with anger and disappointment after
Queen's University in Belfast refused to put up Gaelic signs around its
campus.

An Cumann Gaelach QUB, an Irish language society at the university,
demanded a meeting with Queen's management, as well as the re-installation
of bilingual signs removed two decades ago.

And East Belfast Irish language activist Linda Ervine tweeted that she was
"shocked" by the response of the university, while campaigners in An Dream
Dearg also expressed disappointment. Previously there had been a number of
bilingual signs at Queen's which had been erected in the 1980s, but they
were removed in 1997 following a warning from the Fair Employment
Commission (FEC) that they were incompatible with a neutral working
environment.

In a letter sent to An Cumann Gaelach QUB signed by acting Vice Chancellor
James McElnay, Queen's said it works to sustain a neutral working
environment.

"The university, through its equality and diversity policy, is committed to
the promotion of equality of opportunity. The university seeks to create
and sustain a neutral working environment that values and celebrates the
diversity of all its staff and its student body, in accordance with its
charter and statutes," Mr McElnay wrote.

"Section 3.1 of the policy highlights the university's commitment to
'providing a good and harmonious environment free from flags, emblems,
posters, graffiti or other materials or actions or language likely to be
provocative, offensive or intimidatory'."

The group blasted the letter, adding it has "greatly angered" their
members. "It is clear that the university authorities are of the opinion
that Irish is 'provocative, offensive, intimidatory'," they posted on their
Facebook page.

"We are sorely disappointed and greatly angered that this is the outlook
that the university has and that he refused to meet with us.

"We do not accept this response.

"We will continue on with our campaign until the rights of the Irish
language community are recognised on campus and demand an immediate meeting
with the VC."

Ciaran Mac Giolla Bhein, advocacy manager at Conradh na Gaeilge, said there
are some "big questions" to be answered around the university's
understanding of the "role of the Irish language".

"Their policy seems to contradict guidelines from international bodies such
as the Council of Europe," he said.

"The correspondence from the university expresses their wish to 'create and
sustain a neutral working environment', and indicates this is the reason
for not promoting the Irish language on campus, which is totally out of
touch with the clear advice from the Equality Commission, which states that
the 'use of minority languages, particularly Irish or Ulster Scots
languages… would normally and objectively be considered a neutral act that
would not be discriminatory'."

A spokeswoman for Queen's said it will meet An Cumann Gaelach QUB.

She added: "Queen's University has a strong commitment to the development
of the Irish language through courses offered in the Faculty of Arts,
Humanities and Social Sciences.

"The university values and celebrates the diversity of all its staff and
students and will be happy to meet with An Cumann Gaelach QUB."

Belfast Telegraph


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 Harold F. Schiffman

Professor Emeritus of
 Dravidian Linguistics and Culture
Dept. of South Asia Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305

Phone:  (215) 898-7475
Fax:  (215) 573-2138

Email:  haroldfs at gmail.com
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/

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