Council to write to Gordon Lyons over removal of Irish and Ulster-Scots from DfC letterhead
Derry City and Strabane District Council is to write to Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons, around a decision to remove Ulster-Scots and the Irish Language from official correspondence.
At September's Full Council Meeting Sinn Féin councillor Antaine Ó Fearghail praised the organisers of Cearta: The National Protest for the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht, which took place in Dublin on September 20.
Councillor Ó Fearghail also drew members’ attention to Mr Lyons’ recent decision to remove Ulster-Scots and Irish from the Department for Communities' (DfC) official correspondence and website, unless the subject matter related to either language.
He argued the decision highlighted “the hostility shown in the North” for Irish.
“DfC are responsible for the promotion and the development of Ulster-Scots and Irish.
“As somebody who supports and celebrates diversity in the broadest sense, linguistic diversity in this case, and as a diversity ambassador, I'm obliged to ask council to write to the Minister to return Ulster-Scots and Irish to [their] letterhead paper,” he said.