Lyons says Sinn Féin waging ‘co-ordinated attack’ on him over Irish language issues

By David Young, Press Association

The DUP Communities minister has accused Sinn Féin of using funding uncertainty around a street sign translation project to wage a “coordinated attack” on him based on a “fabrication”.

Gordon Lyons made the claim during robust exchanges with Sinn Féin members of his Assembly scrutiny committee, including chairman Colm Gildernew, who likened the minister to an arsonist who blames the fire brigade for causing water damage.

The clashes played out as Lyons appeared before the committee to face questions on the future of the Northern Ireland Place-Name Project.

The academic initiative based at Queen’s University researches the origins of street names across the region and also provides councils support in translating English street names into Irish.

Sinn Féin MLAs have accused Lyons of refusing to renew funding for the project this year.

However, the minister has rejected that claim, insisting the work had previously been funded by the Sinn Féin-led Department of Finance and he has made no proactive decision to cut financial support for the scheme.

Lyons told the committee that when it became clear DoF was not going to continue its financial support this year he put in contingency arrangements to allow it to continue operating into the summer pending examination of other options aimed at securing its future.

However, he said the project has since been hit by resourcing and staffing issues within the university, with some team members having decided to move on.

The minister noted that Sinn Féin Economy minister Caoimhe Archibald had signalled an intent to step in and support the project but he said his ministerial colleague had not yet offered “details on the nature or scope of the proposed support”.

“We remain open to engagement with colleagues across government to identify a way forward,” he said.

Lyons’ version of events drew criticism from Sinn Féin committee members, with deputy chairwoman Cathy Mason claiming his approach to the project fitted a pattern of hostility toward Irish language initiatives.

“We’ve got place names (project), you’re embroiled in court cases against the Irish language, you’ve removed the (Irish language) branding from your department, you’re clearly blocking the development of an Irish language strategy,” she said.

“You’ve got form on this, with one thing after another. Why are you so afraid of the Irish language and Irish identity?”

She added: “Minister, with all due respect, you’re judged on your actions, not not empty words on this.

“Is it not the truth that you pulled this funding because you’re terrified that there was 2,400 applications in Belfast alone, 990 of them are being progressed and suddenly this support just disappears.

“Is that incompetence or is that deliberate contempt?”

Lyons said “all of the facts and evidence” showed he had not cut funding for the project.

In subsequent exchanges with Mason’s party colleague Maoliosa McHugh, the minister added: “I believe that this is a coordinated attack around this issue.”

He continued: “Many representatives of your party have said that I cut funding for this project, and that is just wrong, and it’s disappointing that the evidence has been produced today and people still fail to grasp that.”

Gildernew challenged the minister’s contention, stating he was “absolutely flabbergasted” by some of his claims.

“You remind me increasingly, minister, like the arsonist who’s running around trying to blame the fire brigade for causing water damage,” he said.

“You have an excuse for everything and a solution for nothing when it comes to the Irish language.”

Lyons said the committee chair’s claim that he had cut the project’s funding was a “fabrication and it had no basis in reality”.

“Both the chair and the deputy chair put out statements saying that I had cut funding, and I don’t know where they got that from,” he said.

The minister added: “The fact is that I did not cut any funding, but that doesn’t fit his (Mr Gildernew’s) narrative. And what the chair did was make it up. He made it up. He said I cut funding. There’s no evidence for that. There’s no basis for that.

“There’s no justification for him saying that. He made it up to suit his own political narrative. And we have provided the evidence today of how that is not the case. And they’re (Sinn Fein) ignoring the reality because they have their own narrative that they want to get out to distract, I have to say, from their own failings.

“And this is becoming quite common now – they just blame somebody else for their own failings.”

Lyons continued: “I am, unlike yourself Mr Chairman, I have been honest, and I’ve been telling the truth on this issue, and I have not fabricated anything at all.”

The minister’s DUP colleague Pam Cameron defended his handling of the issue and accused Sinn Féin of pushing “lies” about Lyons within the Irish language community for political gain.

“It’s terrible, it’s hateful, and it’s highly offensive to me,” said the DUP committee member.

“I’m really offended by the slant put on me as unionist, quite frankly.”

Lyons insisted he had “no hatred or contempt for the Irish language”.

“I’m used to unfortunately in this job being lied about and having things said about me that just simply aren’t true in order to suit the political agendas of others,” he said.

“Unfortunately that comes with the job.

“I think what has annoyed me more is that even whenever evidence is provided, when the facts are laid out, when my department has been open in providing the information, others are denying the reality that’s in front of them in black and white.

“That’s something that I struggle with – that people can’t seem to accept the truth of the matter, and that they’re just doubling down and doubling down again and again.

“And if they think it’s short-term political gain, maybe it is, but long term, it’s not good for this place and it’s not good for people out there either who want us to address issues.

“There will be significant areas of disagreement that we have on issues around the Irish language and how it is dealt with in the public sphere.

“But it is particularly frustrating on this issue when it is crystal clear what has happened, yet some are still using it for political purposes.

“That’s disappointing.”