Row breaks out over funding for Irish-English sign project

A row has broken out between the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin over funding a project which helps councils with Irish-English street sign translations.

DUP Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has denied cutting the £90,000 annual funding, claiming it had been funded for the past four years by the Department of Finance (DoF).

The DoF said responsibility for the project had been transferred in 2022 with the understanding the Department for Communities would be responsible for the longer-term funding of the project.

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project was set up in the 1980s to research the origins and meanings of local place names across Northern Ireland.

Sinn Féin's Colm Gildernew has called on Lyons to appear before the assembly to explain the funding issue.

Gildernew, who is the chairman of Stormont's communities committee, said he had raised concerns about it earlier this year and was told it would continue into the summer.

He said the project played an important role in supporting councils and promoting the Irish language.

"This is a very small amount of funding that's providing a vital service to all 11 councils," he added.

"There are huge questions around what communications were undertaken with the project to ensure it could continue to do its important work."

Lyons said the project had been funded by the DoF, which ended its support this year and wanted to transfer it to his department without providing funding.

Lyons said he had "not taken any decision" to end funding for the project.

"I'm not saving £90,000. I'm not reallocating £90,000 elsewhere," he added.

He said it had been funded for the past four years by the DoF, which he said decided to stop support this year.

"They were not prepared to fund it anymore and were handing this over to the Department for Communities," he said.

Lyons said his department would now consider whether it should take on the project.

"If we're taking on new funding and new responsibilities, is it something that is necessary?" he said.

"Is it our responsibility? Is it value for money? Is it the right thing to do?"

He accused Sinn Féin of trying to use the issue to "score political points", adding that the "facts are on the side of the DUP".

Lyons said he could not fund the project in the short-term because of "staffing changes" on the project, but said he was willing to "discuss how the project can be taken forward on merit".

A spokesperson for the Department of Finance said: "In 2022 responsibility for the Place Name Project transferred from the Department of Finance to the department with responsibility for languages with funding in place until the 31 March 2026.

"When the project transferred it did so on the understanding that the department it transferred to would have responsibility for longer-term funding for the project."

Matthew O'Toole, SDLP assembly member and leader of the opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly, described the funding cut as "vandalism".

SDLP assembly member for Foyle Mark H Durkan said it was important the facts were established.

He described the issue as "typical of the dysfunction that plagues politics" in Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project is a research initiative based at Queen's University Belfast.

Since 1987 it has been investigating the origins, meanings and history of more than 30,000 local place names.

It provides a free searchable database covering townlands, settlements and geographical features highlighting Irish, Ulster-Scots and English place names.

On its website the project now says it is in the process of winding down activities as it has reached the end of its current funding period.

"At this time, we regret that we are no longer in a position to respond to new enquiries or requests for information or translations," it says.