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Friday, 06 November 2009

TUV sorry for 'leprechaun' remark

The party led by former MEP Jim Allister has apologised for branding Irish a "leprechaun language"

The Traditional Unionist Voice has apologised for branding Irish a "leprechaun language".

The party led by former MEP Jim Allister is to hold its annual conference on Saturday as it tries to build-on efforts to draw support from the DUP.

The TUV is a trenchant critic of the DUP decision to share power with Sinn Fein, but had to apologise on Friday after issuing a press release attacking the translation of Stormont government documents into Irish.

The party hit-out at news that Sinn Fein's Minister for Education Caitriona Ruane spent £47,062 on Irish translations.

Its press release on the issue read: "TUV Blast Leprechaun Language Waste."

The TUV's vice chair Keith Harbinson, in whose name the statement was issued, has since apologised and said no offence was intended.

But Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn, who revealed details of the Education Minister's spending by tabling a question at the Assembly, said the TUV blunder was an embarrassment.

"This was a despicable and deeply immature comment. The TUV have shown their true colours during this episode," he said.

"They tried to cynically use the answer to my question and all they managed to do was embarrass themselves."

Mr Allister will use his party conference to underline its opposition to power-sharing and launch its plans for the next General Election.

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8 Comments

At 17:54 on 10 November 2009, Karen wrote:

Actually horhay, a number of people in Northern Ireland use Irish as their first language at home and are educated through the Irish medium, something I add which is increasingly in demand. It is our society which does not allow them to use it in an every day context. Moreover, translating anything into Irish is not a mere financial and linguistic matter. To stop using Irish altogether will allow it to become lost and there is so much culture and history embedded in the Irish language it would be a shame for all people regardless of political or religious views to lose it. While I add that the amount spent on translating material into Irish should be audited, as should all government expenditure I do not see it as a "waste". The same spirit applies to Scots Gaeilge.

At 08:01 on 09 November 2009, Paul wrote:

Hahahaha now consign you and the rest of your dinosaurs to history please. The biggest waste in language in NI is Ulster scots, a total non language. Bye bye jimbo, say hello to obscurity for me.

At 16:29 on 07 November 2009, Gary wrote:

HERE HERE to that last comment. Get rid of the lot and get in people that will do the work, not biggots or Langers who are not fit for it, making a bit of noise trying to justify to the TAXPAYER their enormous salary.

At 13:25 on 07 November 2009, Jim wrote:

what do you mean, " There are some very angry, scared little men in that party." they're all the same, paranoid, scared, and bigots....TUV,DUP, PROGRESSIVE UNIONIST, SINN FEIN,SDLP,ALLIANCE... PEOPLE OF ULSTER....WAKE UP....SMELL THE COFFEE....GET SHOT OF THE WHOLE DAMN LOT....WE HAVE TO GET PEOPLE ITO STORMONT THAT WILL DO THE RIGHT THING AND GET US BACK ON OUR FEET...NOT THIS RUBBISH WHERE THEY ALL SIT AND SNIP AT EACH OTHER...

At 11:25 on 07 November 2009, horhay wrote:

Comment was wrong but how many MLAs have Irish as a first language or any other person living in N.Ireland.Complete waste of money but then what's new?

At 10:29 on 07 November 2009, dipper wrote:

sure to be sure lol

At 22:55 on 06 November 2009, Liambo wrote:

Idiotic Little Boy's Running Around Loyalism At The Moment Sulking.