The Ulster Unionist Party’s Chief Whip Robin Swann has accused Sinn Fein and the SDLP of politicising the Irish language through the latest Petition of Concern applied to an Assembly motion.  The Ulster Unionist Party is bringing forward a motion to the Assembly on Monday challenging the Education Minister’s decision to approve the establishment of a new grant-aided, independent Irish Medium post-primary school in Dungiven.

 Mr Swann said:

 “Sinn Fein and the SDLP have again politicised the Irish language by their use of a Petition of Concern in relation to an Ulster Unionist motion due for debate in the Assembly on Monday.

  “Our concerns about the Dungiven secondary school proposal relate to the fact that the Minister has given approval in spite of opposition from the Western Education and Library Board, the North Eastern Education and Library Board, the Education and Training Inspectorate, his own Department, and even his own Ministerial Advisory Group on Irish Medium Education.

 “The public will be shocked to learn that the school will open with the first year intake projected to be a grand total of 14 pupils and the cost of buildings alone over £600,000 a year.

 “Given the recent focus on the need to prioritise scarce resources in the current economic climate, I find it quite incredible that Sinn Fein and the SDLP should seek to introduce an Assembly Petition of Concern to block a debate on this issue. 

 “Are they saying that cost is not a factor to be considered where the Irish Medium sector is concerned? The use of a Petition of Concern indicates that those two parties regard the Irish Language as belonging solely to the nationalist and republican tradition, thereby politicising it still further.  This is shameful.”