DUP seeks to block law on Irish-medium schools

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has tabled a petition of concern in a bid to block proposed legislation on Irish-medium education.

The private member's bill, brought forward by Sinn Féin assembly member Pat Sheehan, would require Stormont's Department of Education to prepare a workforce plan on schools in the sector.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the petition was the latest outworking of their response to Sinn Féin's "arrogance" over the Drumcree parading dispute.

Sheehan described the move as a "disgraceful abuse" of the veto mechanism and accused the DUP of "nothing but anti-Irish bigotry".

The fall-out comes after unionist anger over Sinn Féin's involvement in protests on the Garvaghy Road, which blocked a contentious Orange Order parade from passing along the mainly nationalist street in Portadown, County Armagh.

First Minister Michelle O'Neill and several other senior Sinn Féin figures have been interviewed by police investigating the demonstrations, with unionists accusing the party of acting unlawfully.

Last month the DUP, which shares power with Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland's devolved government, announced it would block official engagements involving O'Neill in response to the fall-out.

On Monday, Robinson said the DUP wanted to "ensure the arrogance of Sinn Féin is kept in check" and his party would use the "mechanisms at our disposal to thwart their agenda".

"And you will see the outworkings of that today in relation to the Irish-medium legislation that is before the assembly," the DUP leader told reporters at Stormont.

"We have tabled a petition of concern and we understand from our discussions over the course of the last number of days that that will receive support from other unionist parties."

The petition of concern requires the signatures of 30 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly from at least two parties.

If deployed on an issue, it means any vote requires cross-community support from a majority of both unionists and nationalists in the chamber.

The Irish-medium education bill is due to be voted on by members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) on Tuesday.

Sheehan said his proposed law would require the Department of Education to "plan properly" to meet the needs of Irish-medium schools.

Speaking in the assembly chamber, the Sinn Féin MLA accused the DUP of "nothing but anti-Irish bigotry".

"The DUP talked about punishing Sinn Féin. It's not us you're punishing - it's children who wish to learn through the Irish language. It's their families and their schools who will bear the consequences," he said.

Sheehan added: "A safeguard intended to protect minorities is being turned against children educated through a minority language.

"That is a disgraceful abuse of its purpose."

Earlier, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Jon Burrows said he would be minded to support the DUP's petition of concern.

"I'm going to actively consider that today. I haven't formally decided that but there is merit." he told reporters at Stormont.

The UUP leader said there was "no need" for the bill and argued it "gives preferential treatment to one education sector over the rest".

"So I am minded that that fits the bill for petition of concern," he added.

Tradition Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister said his party would also be willing to sign the petition.

He described the private member's bill as a "disproportionate tilting of funding in a very partisan and selective way".