The Minister and Janet Muller, Chief Executive of POBAL, the umbrella organisation for the Irish speaking community also discussed the Irish language community’s proposals for an Irish Language Act.
The Minister updated Ms Muller on the steps taken by the Department’s Roads Service to take forward amending legislation in 2008/09 to enable the Department to prescribe traffic signs in a language other than English. He explained the three types of signs which were being considered for bilingual signing as follows:
- the erection, by Councils, of town/village place name signs bearing Irish or Ulster-Scots, in addition to English;
- the display of Irish or Ulster-Scots in addition to English on certain worded supplementary plates to standard warning signs (eg ‘School’), if requested by the manager of the premises; and
- the inclusion, in consultation with NI Tourist Board, of Irish or Ulster-Scots (in addition to English) on signs funded by private premise owners (eg tourist destinations, churches, schools and certain commercial premises), in close proximity to the destination.
“I was glad to hear the views of POBAL and the community it represents on a range of important issues, and I will take these into account in the future,” said the Minister.
“As Minister for Regional Development, it is important that I take into account the views of all the people of the region and try to reflect them in the decisions I make. I would encourage POBAL and any other groups with views on minority languages to take every opportunity to make their views known to public representatives and departments.”
Notes to Editors:
DRD media queries to: Press Office, telephone 028 9054 0817. Out of office hours please contact the duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
