Gordon Lyons drops trilingual letter heads as Department for Communities pushes ‘single language’ policy
The minister with responsibility for developing minority language policy opts for English only
The DUP-run Department of Communities has been accused of marginalising minority languages after dropping a trilingual logo from its branded letter heads on most official correspondence.
Fresh guidelines published by the department this week state that Irish and Ulster Scots will only be used where the subject matter relates to either, or when issues of culture and identity are addressed.
The Irish News has also seen correspondence from the private office of Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, head of the department responsible for developing language policy, which shows that he began using an English only letter head in July, where previously it would’ve been trilingual.
The move has echoes of former education minister’s Peter Weir 2016 decision to adopt a policy which made clear that “the principal language is English”.
Around the same time his party colleague and then agriculture minister Michelle McIlveen changed the name of her department’s fisheries protection vessel from the Irish Banríon Uladh to Queen of Ulster.
Mr Lyons’ department has said only that its guidelines include “a single language logo, an abbreviated single language logo and a refreshed trilingual language logo which is used when correspondence relates to Irish or Ulster-Scots language, identity or culture”.
The policy is understood to extend to application forms and other official documents which previously featured the trilingual letter head.
The change has been described by Irish language advocacy group Conradh na Gaeilge as “simply petty and pitiful”, while Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan called on the minister to “clarify the reasoning behind this”.
The SDLP representative said he had already raised the issue directly with the minister.
“Irish language speakers and the Ulster Scots fraternity have a right to know why this measure – designed to show inclusiveness to all traditions has been deemed unnecessary,” he said.
“Language rights have been hard won after many years of campaigning and the last thing we need to see ahead of the appointment of Irish language and Ulster Scots commissioners is the marginilisation of minority languages.”
A Conradh na Gaeilge spokesperson said it appeared the minister with responsibility for Irish was “seemingly taking deliberate steps to erode and erase the language from his department’s corporate identity”.
“Regressive, anti-Irish moves like these simply reinforce the perception that the DUP are deliberately attempting to obstruct the progress of Irish, and where possible, remove it from public view, which is in direct contravention of their ministerial obligations under the European Charter for Regional Minority Languages and commitments set out in the Irish Language Act,” the spokesperson said.
“This is the same minister supposedly responsible for developing an Irish language strategy on behalf of the executive, who is intervening to block Irish language signage at Grand Central Station, all in the same month where we await his party to jointly announce the appointment of our very first Irish language commissioner.”
by vague_intentionally_
25 comments
The usual dup bigotry on show. They have a habit of dying on very stupid hills.
So if they can do that…. They can change letters sent from uc going out with esas number on it then right?
WTF?
Another reason why NI is fucked. The Dept of communities ran by bigots.
Not just that, but lead by a cunt who egged on a pogrom…..
Hateful cunts being hateful cunts.
Where did the language hurt you Gordon?
Gregory Campbell 2014, Peter Weir 2016, Michelle McIlveen 2016, Paul Givan 2016, Arlene Foster 2017, Gordon Lyons 2025.
Over a decade later and they still think pulling the same stunt is some grand cultural victory. Imagine being that fragile.
Something tells me Gordon doesn’t like the Irish language very much
Even further proof that political Unionisms opposition to the Irish language has nothing to do with value for money.
It’s entirely down to sectarian hatred.
There are no Irish language speakers on this island that don’t understand English, and in the north there are none where English isn’t their first language. From a logical perspective I think it makes sense to have a main language, there’s no need for translations or alternative languages on official documents.
The DUP being afraid of the NATIVE language of this island, what else is new
Well done Gordon English and that’s it. No Irish or Ulster Scot’s. Let’s Save money 💰
Is this what ~~Unionists~~ Nationalists can expect in a ~~United Ireland~~ Northern Ireland after 100+ years?
Whaaaaa? Ney Ulster Scots???
Fuck lyons – hateful wee gimp
Once again. Right leaning politician in showing they are just scared of everything.
Do not fear Irish. Learn it. (I plan on).
This means that your fear of it being weaponised, is taken away.
If you were to scream for help to save your life in NI or even Ireland… would it be in Irish ? Doubt it.
Fucking ugly balding cunt
Can we please properly address the DUP in all articles like this, i.e. Children of Immigrants who came over on a boat from Britain to Ireland, seek to block use of the Irish language.
Has there been any recent good news stories from the north? As a southerner, everything always seems so incredibly negative and backwards up there.
Unionist Fragility strikes again.
It’s never not amusing how they see themselves as Britain’s toughest subjects yet week in, week out, fall to pieces over so very little.
And now with the loyalist fringe falling into proper far-right race war stuff they think they’re going to rise up and drive anyone not from round here back into the sea. Lol, the lads from Africa, the Philippines etc will fucking batter them if they try it and the crying will be on another level then.
Seem to forget it’s Northern Ireland, not northern England, northern Britain, it’s Ireland, so blinded by hatred and loyalism to a country that doesn’t want them
good little indoctrinated brainwashed sheep their crowd are
Sharpening the sword to fall on later… classic DUP
Makes sense to use the language spoken by everyone.
The DUP DUPing again I see.
Look, say what you want about the DUP
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