Work to include the Irish language on signage and ticketing machines at Belfast Grand Central Station has been stopped due to “pending potential legal action”, a Translink spokesperson has said.
Earlier on Tuesday morning, Translink had said they had commenced work on the implementation following the announcement by Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins.
That decision by Liz Kimmins, Sinn Fein MLA for Newry and Armagh, has been in the spotlight following concerns being raised by the DUP and TUV.
Gavin Robinson MP, DUP leader, has said the decision was “not a crisis, but bad process”. The introduction of the new signage and updates to the ticket machines is expected to cost around £145,000.
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly told BBC Good Morning Ulster that the Infrastructure Minister had not brought the decision to the Executive, and that her party would be asking questions “as to why she has not brought that to the Executive.”
“All controversial and significant matters have to be brought to the Executive for Executive agreement. That is the law. The minister should want to abide by the law,” she added.
Jamie Bryson, a loyalist activist and owner of JWB Consultancy, has started judicial review proceedings against the Department for Infrastructure.
In Translink’s statement today, they said: “The options to include Irish language on ticket vending machines would need to be further explored with the supplier. The options could include adding this to the current offering or making a substitute.”
Ulster Unionist Party leader and Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt MLA, has said his issue is not with the Irish language, but with the cost of replacing the signage, when he spoke to Cool FM News.
