Legal papers lodged in challenge to Irish language signs at Belfast station

Legal papers have been lodged in a court challenge to a ministerial decision to install Irish language signage at Grand Central Station in Belfast.

Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson said he was also seeking an injunction blocking the work from commencing at the new transport hub in the city.

Sinn Fein Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins gave the go-ahead for the signage last month, but it led to a row among Stormont Executive ministers.

The DUP has insisted she has a “legal duty” to bring the decision to the Executive.

Mr Bryson, from the Unionist Voice Policy Studies group, is attempting to secure a judicial review in the High Court in Belfast against the Department for Infrastructure, stating the decision was taken without Executive approval.

Under Stormont rules, ministerial decisions that are deemed significant or controversial should be considered collectively by the powersharing coalition, rather than by an individual minister.

However, within the Executive it is ultimately the responsibility of Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle O’Neill and DUP deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly to jointly decide what issues are significant or controversial and should be subject to a wider vote.

Earlier this month, Translink confirmed that it had halted design work on the signage due to the potential legal action.

Mr Bryson confirmed that he has now lodged legal papers at the High Court in Belfast.

He said: “The exchange of pre-action correspondence has failed to yield a satisfactory outcome, with the minister continuing to adopt the bizarre and wholly unsustainable position that the imposition of the signage is not controversial.

“Accordingly, formal papers have this morning been lodged, with a request for expedition on an injunction application to in effect extend beyond May 1 the undertaking already provided by the minister not to begin any works pending the ultimate outcome of proceedings.”

Mr Bryson accused the department of wasting public money in attempting to “defend the utterly indefensible”.

He said: “There is no agreed Irish language strategy by the Executive, therefore this minister has purported to take it upon herself to unilaterally determine what that strategy ought to be and gone ahead to implement it.

“That is simply incompatible with the law.”

The Department for Infrastructure has been approached for comment.

Ms Kimmins had previously said she “stands firm” in her decision which sparked a political row.

Speaking at the station earlier this month, she said: “This is a good news story and enhancing that to ensure that it is a shared space for everybody that uses it is something I see as really positive.”

Grand Central Station has been billed as the largest integrated transport hub on the island of Ireland, with services including trains between Belfast and Dublin.

Disappointment has been expressed by the Irish language community that the station, which started opening in phases last year, did not originally include Irish language signage.