Council to spend £16,500 on 33 new Irish road signs in Tyrone

EIGHT more roads in Tyrone are to get Irish language street signs – at a total cost of £16,500 to local ratepayers.

People living on ten roads in the Gortin and Greencastle areas were contacted recently by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council after applications were made to have dual language signs erected on their streets.

Such applications can be made by a resident of an area, a local councillor or a property developer.

For the signs to be erected, at least 15% of residents living in the area who respond to a subsequent council survey must be in support of the new signs.

While this threshold was met for eight of the roads put forward in the new applications, the response from residents in two other roads did not meet the 15% threshold.

The council has now recommended erecting the new Irish language signs on the eight roads.

The roads where the new proposed signs will be erected are: Crouck Road, Morris Road, Liggins Road, McNulty Park, Mullydoo Road, Glenforan Road, Magherabrack Road and Buniver Road.

The two roads where not enough residents were in support of the proposed Irish language signs were Drumlea Road and Limekiln Meadows.

A report on the latest dual language sign applications is due to be discussed at a meeting on Wednesday of the council’s Environmental Services committee.

The council report states each of the new dual language road signs cost £500.

The report states the council approved a budget of £150,000 in February 2024 for the 2024/25 financial year for the installation of dual language signage.

This budget also covers the cost of replacement of damaged signs.

Council officers have recommended councillors approve the £16,500 needed for the new Irish language signs on the eight local roads.

If, as expected, the recommendation is approved at the meeting, there will be nine new signs erected at Liggins Road, five at Magherabrack Road and four each at Morris Road, Mullydoo Road, Glenforan Road, three at Crouch Road, and two each at McNulty Park and Buninver Road.