'Correct' Irish to be used on all roadwork signs in Cork, insists council

Cork County Council had received a number of complaints that the Irish language wasn't being used on temporary signs, and if it was, it was often not spelt correctly

Cork County Council has adopted a guidance document to assist contractors with their obligations to the use of Irish in relation to temporary traffic management signs.

All utility companies and contractors applying for temporary road closure/traffic management licences in Co Cork will have to include signs at these places in both English and Irish.

Cork County Council is to insist from now on that the Irish language be used for all roadworks and that they be spelt correctly.

A council meeting was told that the local authority had received a number of complaints that the Irish language wasn't being used on temporary signs, and if it was, it was often not spelt correctly.

Independent councillor Declan Hurley, who heads the council's special purposes committee (SPC) for roads and transportation, and the council's director of roads Padraig Barrett said new guidelines had been drawn up for their use.

Mr Barrett said the council had received a number of complaints about the non-use or misuse of the Irish language on such projects and under national legislation the use of Irish language signage was required.

“Cork County Council has adopted a guidance document to assist contractors with their obligations to the use of Irish in relation to temporary traffic management signs when planning or conducting works on public roads where the council is the statutory road authority,” Mr Hurley said.

In recent years there have been a number of complaints to Cork County Council of instances where contractors for private individuals, utility companies, and in some cases the council itself, did not use signage in compliance with the legislation, ie, Irish was incorrect or absent.

As a result through the work of Mr Hurley's special committee the council has now adopted a simple guide that should clarify what is required to all concerned when erecting temporary road signs.

“It is intended as a guide to clarify the obligations of anyone working on the public roadway,” Mr Hurley said.

Mr Barrett said it is hoped that Irish and English would be included on the same signs used.

He added, however, that an Irish only requirement would be in place for Gaeltacht areas in Co Cork.

The native speaking communities are in Baile Mhúirne (Ballyvourney), Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh (Ballingeary), Cúil Aodha (Coolea), and Oileán Chléire (Clear Island).

Fianna Fáil councillor Gobnait Moynihan, who comes from the Gaeltacht, said there had been issues with some contractors not using Irish in their signs in these Irish-speaking areas and she seconded the adoption of the new guidelines, which were carried unanimously.