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Challenge to council's new Irish language policy dismissed

Catherine MorrisonBBC News NI
News imageGetty Images A white bilingual street sign in Irish and English. It is on a red brick wall that is partially painted blue. Some barbed wire can be seen on the wall above the sign. Getty Images
The new policy aims to promote the use of Irish in public life, including the usage of bilingual signage

A legal challenge to Belfast City Council over its proposed new Irish language policy has been dismissed.

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) member Ann McClure brought the proceedings after councillors approved a draft Irish language policy in October.

Her legal team argued the council's operation of a call in scheme for voting on controversial issues had not been used correctly.

At the High Court in Belfast on Tuesday a judge dismissed the challenge on a number of grounds.

News imageA woman with shoulder-length blonde hair wearing a brown and cream checked coat, stood outside the steps and railings of a courthouse
The proceedings were brought forward by TUV member Ann McClure

However he did find "procedural confusion" around the council's decision in December to fly the Palestinian flag above City Hall and the applicant's complaint regarding that decision was partially upheld.

The new policy aims to promote the use of Irish in public life, with bilingual signage and logos to appear on council facilities, signage and uniforms.

Amid unionist objections, a call-in mechanism was triggered to review the October decision.

Under the process, 15% of councillors can request reconsideration and legal advice on whether a decision could have an adverse impact on one community.

If those concerns are upheld, an 80% majority may be required for the original decision to be approved again.

The draft Irish language policy remains on hold pending the outcome of that process.

Justice McLaughlin held that an 80% qualified majority vote was not automatically triggered in every request based on concerns about a potential adverse community impact.

He found errors in how the later Palestinian flag decision was handled but said the same outcome would likely have been reached and declined to overturn it.

"I do not consider it to be either necessary or appropriate to quash the decision of the council on December 1, 2025," he confirmed.

Dismissing all other grounds of challenge, Justice McLaughlin suggested issuing a final declaration about the authority's decision by simple majority vote that flying the Palestinian flag for 24 hours from the City Hall would not have a disproportionate adverse effect on the Jewish community.

'Victory for unionism'

In a statement following the judgement, McClure declared the ruling on the Palestinian flag voting procedure as a victory for unionism.

She also confirmed plans to appeal findings reached on the wider call-in process, claiming they were inconsistent with the law.

"If the court is correct, then minority protections have no meaningful effect. This cannot be correct," she said.

'A new era in Belfast'

News imageA man with dark hair and a blue zip up top is standing in front of a white stone building with black railings
Dr Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh described the verdict as heralding a new era in Belfast

Dr Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh from Irish language campaign group Conradh na Gaeilge described the verdict as heralding a new era in Belfast.

"Attempts to seemingly abuse genuine minority safeguards and flip them into a political veto to be used against the Irish language community have failed and been overwhelmingly dismissed," he said.

"That now clears the way for Belfast City Council to immediately and fully implement their new Irish language policy and ensure the Irish language takes its rightful place as an official language of the council, and is equally displayed and used across all council services and signage."