By 
“IF you have nothing to contribute only the sad old tired nonsense you should maybe consider opening your ears and closing your mouth.”
Those were the words of Sinn Fein Councillor Ruairi Lyttle during a heated debate over dual-language signs at the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s Environmental Services committee this evening (December 3).
The comments were made in relation to the approval of eight further dual-language signs in the district – at a cost of £17,500 to ratepayers.
The roads where the new proposed signs will be erected are Heather Lane, Creggan Heights, Athenree Road, Loughmallon Road, Leaghan Road, Sultan Road, Inishative Road and Mallowee Meadows.
Unionist councillors have routinely opposed the signage, citing that the 15 per-cent approval from residents threshold was ‘unfair’.
The eight new signs were proposed by Sinn Féin’s Tommy Maguire and seconded by Ruairi Lyttle, but Democratic Unionist Party Cllr Paul Robinson and Ulster Unionist Party Cllr John McClaughrey said they were not supporting the motion.
Adding to his opposition Cllr McClaughrey said, “Yet again we have another road where none of the residents who were surveyed have any interest. Obviously somebody is overstepping their mark as a councillor.”
In response to Cllr McClaughrey’s comment, Cllr Lyttle said “To the unionist objection to this council’s dual language policy it really is nauseating to hear these objections on a regular basis.
“I would just remind the councillor that it was a criminal offence to erect dual language signs between 1949 and 1995,” said Cllr Lyttle, repeating the sentence a second time.
“The indigenous language of Ireland was outlawed and banned in a systemic attempt to eradicate and erase the language. This policy was supported by Brian Faulkner and the Ulster Unionist Party.
“So I think, just to summarise, if you have nothing to contribute only the sad old tired nonsense you should maybe consider opening your ears and closing your mouth,” said Cllr Lyttle.
Democratic Unionist Party councillor Shirley Hawkes in response to Cllr Lyttle’s comments said, “Just to add a bit to this debate, seeing as it has went further tonight than most other nights. Unfortunately (how) the unionist side of things see it – 15 per-cent is a completely unfair policy.
“I’ve talked to so many people who at least said that if a road was 50-50 they could live with it (dual-language signs). But this 15 per-cent people can’t really live with it.
Cllr Hawkes added, “The Sinn Fein parties are forever telling us to ‘move on and don’t look back’ so there’s not much point in him (Cllr Lyttle) talking about 1949 when something was outlawed.”
