SINN Féin Down District Councillor Éamonn Mac Con Midhe has said that unionists in Down District area should embrace the use of Irish Language on council signage and stationery.
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Councillor Eamonn Mac Con Midhe has called on unionists to embrace the Irish language.[/caption]
The call comes following claims from unionist councillors that the language was being forced upon them. At the last full meeting of Down District Council a number of unionist councillors expressed their disquiet about being asked to use bilingual notepaper including the Irish language.
Cllr Mac Con Midhe said: “It is unfortunate that unionist councillors seem intent on discriminating against the Irish language in Down District, especially given the fact that the use of Irish is on the increase in the north every year.
“We have seen recently a number of loyalists and unionist members of the community taking it upon themselves to embrace the Irish language and it’s time that the mainstream unionist parties also do so.
“The Irish language, regardless of political views, is something that we all share in our heritage and should not be politicised. Indeed many unionists have found out through census records that at one stage in the past their family actually used Irish and English.
“The use of Irish by Down District Council is a welcome progression and there is no attempt to force this down the throat of the unionist representatives. It is up to them to lead by example and show the unionist community that they have nothing to fear from the Irish language at all.”
Related Link: Irish Language on Council Stationery
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