Belfast City Council, in the face of unionist opposition, has made a ground-breaking decision to support the Irish language. By the narrowest majority, the council adopted an Alliance motion setting up a special committee to examine how the language could be promoted.
The committee, which will deal with the general subject of cultural diversity, with a particular reference to Irish and other "lesser-spoken" languages, is due to be established by March, according to the proposer of the motion, Mr Steve McBride.
The motion was passed by 25 votes to 24 on Monday night, with Alliance, Sinn Fein and SDLP members supporting the proposal and the combined unionist bloc including the Progressive Unionist Party and the Ulster Democratic Party voting against.
Mr Sammy Wilson of the DUP accused Alliance of working to a republican agenda. He feared that the committee would be "following a terrorist agenda".
Opposing the motion he added: "It perpetuates the myth that the Irish language is something of significance in this city, the myth that people are clamouring to speak Irish. There are more Chinese speakers in this city."
Mr Reg Empey of the Ulster Unionist Party claimed the motion was "deliberately biased".
But Mr McBride defended his motion yesterday. "There is a significant number of people who either speak or are concerned about promoting the Irish language. We have to recognise Irish as a legitimate expression of cultural identity," he said.
An amendment by Mr Ian Adamson of the UUP seeking specific reference to "Ulster Scots" in the motion was rejected by 25 to a single vote. Mr McBride said that "Ulster Scots" could be referred to the committee, but he believed that interest in the dialect was minimal compared to the interest in Irish.
