On the evening of October 1, 2025, the Belfast City Council took a decisive step by voting in favor of a new Irish language policy—a move hailed as both transformative and historic by supporters, yet sharply criticized by opponents. After months of public consultation and heated debate, the council ratified the 18-page policy, setting the stage for sweeping changes in how the Irish language is used and promoted across the city’s public life.
The new policy, which includes a two-year implementation plan and £1.9 million in funding, aims to remove barriers to the use of Irish in public life, promote its learning, and ensure its visibility throughout Belfast. According to BBC News, the policy mandates English-Irish bilingual signage at all council facilities, as well as a new bilingual logo to appear on vehicles, uniforms, and key council documents. The council’s website, belfastcity.gov.uk, will also see expanded Irish language content.
The policy’s passage followed a public consultation held from August to November 2024, which drew responses from residents, council staff, trade unions, and members of the Irish Language Stakeholder Forum. Throughout August and September 2025, the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee pored over this feedback before recommending the policy and the adoption of a single bilingual logo—an approach they say aligns with international best practice for promoting minority languages.
The full council meeting on October 1 saw the policy pass by a significant margin, with 42 votes in favor and 17 against. Parties supporting the measure included Sinn Féin, the SDLP, Alliance, People Before Profit, and the Green Party. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), and Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) opposed the policy, with unionist councillors expressing deep reservations about its cost, implementation, and impact on staff.
Sinn Féin councillor Tomás Ó Néill, a vocal proponent of the policy, described the decision as “transformative” and “a historic moment for the council.” He emphasized that “strengthening the rights of Irish language speakers and boosting the visibility of the language are central to the policy,” adding, “Tonight’s agreement to implement this policy is hugely positive. The council’s Irish language policy will be one of the most progressive on this island.”
His party colleague, councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly, echoed these sentiments, predicting the policy would have an “unbelievable impact” and “shine a positive light on the city on the world stage.” According to Breaking News, Ó Néill also noted the vibrancy of the city’s Irish language community, stating, “Thousands of people attend Irish language classes on a weekly basis, and there are an estimated 50,000 across the city with varying degrees of Irish. The Irish language community here is thriving, it’s at the heart of our communities right across Belfast and we should be doing all we can to support that growth.”
The policy’s supporters believe it is not just about language, but about fostering inclusion and celebrating Belfast’s rich cultural heritage. Councillor Natasha Brennan, chair of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, called the policy “ambitious and groundbreaking,” describing it as “a major step forward in fostering linguistic diversity, supporting cultural heritage and ensuring everyone who wishes to access our services in Irish is able to do so.” She underscored the council’s commitment, saying, “We have committed £1.9 million to begin implementing the policy over the next two years, with regular updates being brought back to councillors, so we can see how access to our services and facilities, through Irish, is increasing over time.”
Pól Deeds, incoming Irish Language Commissioner and deputy chief executive of the cross-border body Foras na Gaeilge, also welcomed the move. He remarked, “This policy also provides an opportunity to reach out to the groups and people in our society who have felt, for one reason or another, that the Irish language was not relevant to them. This policy can be a tool to bring our community together, to celebrate our rich history and to share a more enriched life together in Belfast in the time to come.”
Outside the council chamber, language advocacy groups greeted the decision with enthusiasm. Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, president of Conradh na Gaeilge, commended the councillors, saying, “Today, Belfast, Béal Feirste, will become a beacon of equality across this island regarding language rights and this policy will reflect the status of the ever growing Irish language revival across the city. This is another major milestone in our campaign towards equality and comprehensive language rights.” He also highlighted the decade-long collaboration between Irish language groups and the council, noting that the policy was shaped by principles enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement and international human rights guidance.
But not everyone was celebrating. The DUP, which had proposed a failed motion to exempt staff uniforms from the new bilingual branding, described the policy as “madness,” “divisive,” and insufficiently costed. DUP councillor Sarah Bunting stated, “The ordinary folk of this city just want one thing, value for money on the rates they pay. Instead, this council is spending money like it’s going out of fashion on a fantasy project with little return while crying poverty because we can’t afford the basics that the city needs and deserves.” Bunting also raised concerns about staff safety, claiming some employees were worried about wearing bilingual uniforms in certain areas. She apologized to those staff for what she called a lack of clarity and transparency, saying, “There were no clear figures, no transparency, no honesty.”
Unionist councillors have not given up their fight. Immediately after the vote, Bunting declared via social media, “This isn’t the end and we will continue to fight for this policy to be scrapped. As united unionist representatives in this council we have all signed a legal call in on tonight’s decision.” The call-in mechanism allows for council decisions to be reviewed if concerns are raised about their implications or the process by which they were made. TUV councillor Ron McDowell pledged, “The policy will be resisted to the utmost,” even hinting at possible legal challenges.
Alliance councillor Michael Long, meanwhile, characterized the policy as a positive framework to support minority languages, comparing it to similar efforts in Wales, Scotland, and Cornwall. “We are supporting minority languages' rights for an indigenous language,” he said. “It’s the same as what happens in other parts of the United Kingdom… and I believe that it’s important that we celebrate the diversity within our community.”
The Irish language policy is just the first strand of the council’s broader Language Strategy, which also includes Ulster-Scots, sign language, and communication with disabled persons and minority ethnic communities. Additional programs are being developed in consultation with relevant groups to ensure they meet the needs of each community.
As design work for the new bilingual identity and logo continues, and further engagement with trade unions gets underway, all eyes will be on how this ambitious policy is rolled out in practice. Supporters see it as a beacon for equality and cultural pride, while critics warn of division and misplaced priorities. For now, Belfast stands at a crossroads, with its approach to language rights and community identity under the spotlight as never before.
