Draft Irish Language Policy

1 (a)

Top Priority, to be completed first

All BCC Facilities in the Gaeltacht Quarter;

Parks, Playgrounds, Walks, Pitches & Local Leisure Centres in close proximity to Gaelscoils;

City-Centre Facilities (City Hall, 2RA, Belfast Stories etc).

City-Wide Family Resources (Belfast Zoo; Belfast Castle etc).

City-wide resources being upgraded or New Facilities being built will automatically come into this category

City Centre Public Realm Signage (street signposts)

*Where a facility ie a park, includes other Council facilities, all BCC facilities on that site will be upgraded at the same time (Example: Waterworks Park, Playground, MUGA Pitch, Community Gardens, Walk, Toilets).

Census Demographics (Some ability in Irish per cent) more than 15 per cent "have some ability" as per Ward

Proximity to Gaelscoil / Irish language group

1 (b)

To be completed after all Category 1(a) facilities have been upgraded

a) Remaining facilities in Wards agreed for Category 1 (Car-parks, Public toilets, Open-Spaces, Greenways / Hills, Graveyards, Community Centres, Recycling Centres / stations etc.)

Census Demographics (Some ability in Irish per cent) more than 15 per cent "have some ability" as per Ward

Proximity to Gaelscoil / Irish language group

2 (a)

Medium-term urgency

a) Parks, Playgrounds, Walks, Pitches & Leisure Centres in Wards with people between 15 per cent-5 per cent with "some ability in Irish" in 2021 Census

Census Demographics (Wards: Some ability in Irish 15 per cent-5 per cent)

2 (b)

Medium-term urgency (2)

Parks, Playgrounds, Walks, Pitches and Leisure Centres in Wards/areas with people between 10 per cent-15 per cent with "some ability in Irish" in 2021 Census but which may form part of a larger area where there is little knowledge of Irish

Census Demographics (Wards: Some ability in Irish 15 per cent-10 per cent)

2 (c)

Long-term priorities

a) Remaining facilities in Wards identified for Category 3 (Car-parks, Public toilets, Open-Spaces, Greenways / Hills, Graveyards, Community Centres, Dumps, Recycling Centres / stations etc.)

Census Demographics (Wards: Some ability in Irish 15 per cent-5 per cent)

3

Non-priority Facilities, to be actively considered when requiring a refurbishment

a) Facilities (excluding city-wide resources) in Wards with less than 5 per cent of people with "some ability in Irish" as per 2021 census.

b) Bins

Census Demographics (Wards: Some ability in Irish: Less than 5 per cent)