TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has written to the Equality Commission challenging them to provide evidence that erecting Irish signage is a neutral act in light of massive polling evidence to the contrary.
Mr Gaston pointed to polling commissioned by the Belfast Telegraph and published today around the attempts of the Infrastructure Minister to impose Irish language signs at Grand Central Station as well as polling commissioned by Analogical Research on the reaction of Unionists to Irish signage going up on their street or in an area they were considering moving to.
Mr Gaston’s letter reads as follows:
Dear Dr. McGahey,
I write to express deep concern regarding the implementation of Irish language signage in public spaces, particularly in light of recent findings that highlight significant unease within the unionist community.
A LucidTalk poll published on 24th May 2025 indicates overwhelming opposition among unionist voters to the installation of bilingual signage at Belfast’s Grand Central Station:
• 97% of Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) voters
• 91% of Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) voters
• 71% of Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) voters
These figures underscore a pervasive sentiment that such initiatives are not culturally neutral but are perceived as politically motivated actions that marginalize the unionist community.
Further, Analogical Research commissioned polling which my party published on 19th March 2025 which presents empirical evidence supporting these concerns. The polling reveals that 71% of unionist voters would be more likely to move away if Irish language street signs were erected in their area, and 88% would be less likely to move into areas with such signage. Additionally, 75% of unionists indicated they would be less likely to use leisure centres featuring Irish signage. These statistics suggest that the introduction of Irish language signage contributes to a ‘chill factor,’ leading to the voluntary displacement of unionist individuals from certain areas — a phenomenon that could be interpreted as a form of non-violent cultural displacement.
You can view the findings here.
In light of these findings, I request the Equality Commission to:
1. Re-evaluate the classification of Irish language signage as a ‘neutral act’ in the context of its impact on community relations or produce evidence of polling which supports that.
2. Consider the implications of the ‘chill factor’ on the unionist community and its alignment with the Commission’s mandate to promote equality and good relations.
3. Advise public authorities to conduct thorough Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs) that genuinely reflect the concerns of all communities, ensuring that policies do not marginalise any group.
A balanced approach that respects and acknowledges the diverse identities within Northern Ireland is essential for fostering genuine equality and mutual respect. I am not convinced that the Equality Commission’s position on this matter to date reflects that.
I look forward to your response on how the Commission intends to address these concerns.
Yours sincerely,
Timothy Gaston MLA