Conradh na Gaeilge welcomes Court proposal to seek guidance and expertise from Irish Language Commissioner in Grand Central Dual-language Signage Decision
• Conradh na Gaeilge granted access to papers as application to intervene postponed by Justice McAlinden in advance of further consideration by Ministers.
• Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins MLA announced the decision to have dual-language Irish-English signage in the £400m new transport hub on 24 March 2025.
A Conradh na Gaeilge spokesperson today announced (Thursday 11 September 2025), they have sought leave to formally intervene in support of the decision by the Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins MLA to erect dual-language signage at Grand Central Station in Belfast. The Judicial Review is being brought by Jamie Bryson against the Infrastructure Minister. Conradh na Gaeilge applied for leave to intervene in the Judicial Review in support of dual-language signage at Grand Central Station in Belfast on 26 August 2025, having sought and received consent from the Minister for Infrastructure to do so.
Justice McAlinden did not today take a decision on the proposed intervention by Conradh na Gaeilge. Instead he requested the Ministers involved to consider the case further, and proposed that the input and expertise from the newly appointed Irish Language Commissioner be sought in relation to the decision to erect dual-language signage at Grand Central Station.
President of Conradh na Gaeilge, Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, commented outside the High Court today saying: “Conradh na Gaeilge welcomes the court’s direction today to grant us access to the papers involved in the case, prior to our intervention being heard. More importantly, we believe Justice McAlinden’s proposal to seek the input and expertise of the newly appointed Irish Language Commissioner to be sensible and prudent. We would anticipate that the Irish Language Commissioner, who under the legislation will develop ‘best practice standards’, will come to the conclusion that dual-language signage in shared spaces is a best practice model enjoyed and enshrined in other countries with similar circumstances, ultimately supporting the Minister’s original position.”
“Conradh na Gaeilge believes the Minister was well within her remit to take this decision to erect dual-language signage in Grand Central Station in line with her Department’s duties regarding the promotion of Irish.
The decision sits well within the letter and spirit of the Good Friday Agreement, calling for “resolute action to promote the language” and to “facilitate and encourage the use of Irish in speech and writing in public life”. The Minister’s decision was also supported by a motion passed by Belfast City Council, and formal advice given by Foras na Gaeilge, the cross-border agency tasked with providing statutory guidance to government on the promotion of Irish.”
“We consider dual-language signage, where English and Irish are placed side by side equally, to be a very physical manifestation of equality. There is nothing controversial about equality. International best practice and expertise tells us that promoting Irish alongside English on public signage leads to increased normalisation of the language, and in turn, increased tolerance and mutual respect.”
Niall Murphy, KRW Law, acting on behalf of Conradh na Gaeilge, commented:
“Our application to intervene in this case on behalf of Conradh na Gaeilge, was to support the decision to erect dual-language signage in Grand Central Station, and to assist the court’s comprehension of what we consider to be a positive duty on the Department under various international treaties. The decision sits well within the letter and spirit of the Good Friday Agreement, calling for “resolute action to promote the language” and to “facilitate and encourage the use of Irish in speech and writing in public life”. We welcome the decision by the Court to seek the informed opinion of the Irish Language Commissioner, which in time, will likely make this application redundant.”
Conradh na Gaeilge also wish to thank CAJ for their ongoing support in this case.
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Fáiltíonn Conradh na Gaeilge roimh mholadh na Cúirte chun treoir agus saineolas a iarr ó Choimisinéir na Gaeilge i gcás na comharthaíochta dátheangaí i Mórstáisiún Láir Bhéal Feirste
Ceadaíodh fosta rochtain do Chonradh na Gaeilge ar na paipéir tráth a gcuireann an Breitheamh McAlinden an t-iarratas idirghábhála ar athló go ndéanann Airí tuilleadh machnaimh.
Bhí iarratas idirghábhála istigh ag Conradh na Gaeilge inniu, Déardaoin 11 Meán Fómhair, chun tacú le cinneadh an Aire Bonneagair Liz Kimmins CTR comharthaíocht dhátheangach a cheadú do Mhórstáisiún Láir Bhéal Feirste. Jamie Bryson a thóg an t-athbhreithniú i gcoinne an Aire Bonneagair an chéad uair. Chuir Conradh na Gaeilge tús lena iarratas idirghabhála ar 26 Lúnasa, i ndiaidh don Aire a beannacht a thabhairt don ghníomh sin.
Níor ghlac an Breitheamh McAlinden cinneadh inniu ar idirghábháil Chonradh na Gaeilge. Ina áit, d’iarr sé ar na hAirí a bhfuil baint acu leis an chás cheana féin tuilleadh machnaimh a dhéanamh, agus mhol sé ionchur ón Choimisinéir Gaeilge nua-cheaptha maidir leis an chinneadh chun comharthaíocht dhátheangach a chur in airde i Mórstáisiún Láir Bhéal Feirste.
Dúirt Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge: “Cuireann Conradh na Gaeilge fáilte roimh treoir na hArd-Chúirte inniu chun cead a thabhairt don Chonradh na paipéir uilig a bhaineann leis an chás seo a fheiceáil, rudaí a diúltaíodh dúinn roimhe seo. Níos tábhachtaí arís, molann muid treoir an Bhreithimh a d’iarr comhairle agus treoir ón Choimisinéir Gaeilge ar an cheist seo. Bheadh muid ag súil go mbeadh comhairle an Choimisinéara, a mbeidh dualgas air caighdeáin teanga dea-chleachtais a ullmhú, ag moladh na comharthaíochta dátheangaí mar ghníomh dea-chleachtais atá ag teacht le tíortha eile atá ag tabhairt faoi na ceisteanna céanna seo. Ar an bhunús sin, ba cheart go dtacódh aon treoir ón Choimisineir le bun-chinneadh an Aire.”
“Aontaíonn an Conradh go raibh cinneadh an Aire iomlán ceart agus go raibh an chumhacht aici an cinneadh sin a dhéanamh í féin mar Aire atá freagrach as an réimse seo. Tá cinneadh an Aire ag teacht le dualgais a Roinne faoin Cháirt Eorpach do Theangacha Réigiúnacha agus Mionlaigh. Tá sé ag teacht fosta le coimitmintí don Ghaeilge i gComhaontú Aoine an Chéasta “go ndéanfaí gníomh diongbháilte chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn” agus “go ndéanfar labhairt agus scríobh na Gaeilge sa tsaol poiblí a éascú agus a spreagadh”. Thacaigh rún a ghlac Comhairle Chathair Bhéal Feirste ar son na comharthaíochta áirithe seo go mór le cinneadh an Aire fosta, agus chuir Foras na Gaeilge, a bhfuil dualgas reachtúil orthu comhairle a chur ar Rannaí Rialtais maidir le cur chun cinn na Gaeilge, comhairle ar an Aire gur fiú agus gur fearr an chomharthaíocht seo a dhéanamh ar bhonn dátheangach.”
“Is léiriú fisiceach í an chomharthaíocht dhátheangach ar an chomhionannas, áit a gcuirtear an Ghaeilge agus an Béarla taobh le taobh ar aon dul, ar aon mhéid. Níl aon rud conspóideach faoin chomhionannas. Insíonn an dea-chleachtas idirnáisiúnta sa ghort seo dúinn go gcuireann infheictheacht na Gaeilge in áiteanna poiblí go mór le normálú na teanga, agus leis sin, spreagann sé ardú caoinfhulaingthe agus cóimheasa.”
Dúirt Niall Murphy, ó Dhlíodóirí KRW, atá mar aturnae Chonradh na Gaeilge sa chás seo: “Bhí sé mar sprioc ag an iarratas idirghábhála seo, atá á ghlacadh againn thar cheann Chonradh na Gaeilge, tacú leis an chinneadh chun comharthaíocht dhátheangach a chur in airde i Mórstáisiún Láir Bhéal Feirste, agus chun tacú le tuiscint na cúirte ar dhualgais dhearfacha na Roinne faoi chonarthaí idirnáisiúnta éagsúla. Tá an cinneadh seo ag teacht go hiomlán le litir agus le spiorad Chomhaontú Aoine an Chéasta, a mholann “gníomh diongbháilte chun an teanga a chur chun cinn” agus “éascú agus gríosú na Gaeilge sa saol poiblí.” Fáiltímid roimh chinneadh na cúirte chun barúil fheasach an Choimisinéara Gaeilge a lorg, rud, thar am, a bhainfidh feidhm an chás seo.”
Gabhann Conradh na Gaeilge buíochas fosta leis an CAJ as ucht a gcuid tacaíochta leis an chás seo.
