Alliance Condemns Banner At Irish Language School

Alliance has condemned a banner, which has now been removed, erected at the site of a proposed Irish-medium Integrated School on Montgomery Road in East Belfast.

The banner called for the Scoil na Seolta ('School of the Sails') to relocate from the area 'to where it is wanted' while also reading: "Relocate Irish school to where it is needed".

Planning permission was previously approved for the proposed temporary nursery and primary school by Belfast City Council earlier this year.

Alliance Party Leader, Naomi Long MLA, said that despite the banner, there is a clear interest in the school being brought to the area.

"The level of interest in the pre-school Naíscoil na Seolta is evidence that it is wanted and welcome and no one has the right to demand they move," she said. "It's hard to imagine how fragile an adult's sense of identity must be if it is threatened by bilingual toddlers playing in a sand tray or learning to count to ten."

Cllr Michael Long, added: "Those behind this are not representative of people in East Belfast, who will rightly find it repulsive and I'd utterly condemn those who put it up.

"Alliance representatives have been in contact with the PSNI and have urged anyone with any information to contact them too. Children have a right to go to school without fear or intimidation."

Meanwhile, loyalist activist Jamie Bryson posted on X in response to the banner.

"The community of Clonduff have peacefully sought to have their voices heard by erecting banners articulating their continued opposition to the imposition of the unwanted and divisive Irish language centre in their community," he said.

"They were never consulted, because they object."

Picture: Jamie Bryson (JamieBrysonCPNI) on X.