Parade problem is solved

Future Patrick’s Day parades may have been saved by a decision made in Cork County Council this week.

The decision by the executive that community groups would not be required to have road closure advertisements in both English and Irish could save parade committees thousands going forward.

The issue was brought to the council’s attention by Fianna Fáil’s Gearoid Murphy at Monday’s full meeting of Cork County Council.

Cllr Murphy, who is the Chair of the Mallow St Patrick's Day Committee, said more than €2,000 must be paid every year in order to publish road closure advertisements, and because the Mallow parade includes a section of national road, these advertisements must be placed in national papers.

However, earlier this year the committee was informed that under the Official Languages Act, all future advertisements would have to be printed in Irish and English, thus doubling the cost. The act states that 20% of all advertising by public bodies must be in the Irish language.

Cllr Murphy said this would have a catastrophic effect on the committee’s budget.

“The expense of closing the road every year already costs roughly the same as all the other costs of running the parade in Mallow put together. For almost €5,000 to have to be paid out just to close a road would simply make no sense,” he said.

Responding to Cllr Murphy’s motion, Patricia Liddy, Director of Services, Corporate Services, wrote: “It is agreed that community groups should be excluded from the requirement for Irish language advertisements related to road closures as it is expected that the 20% Irish advertising requirement will be met through other road closure advertisements. Should this position change, then this exclusion may have to be reviewed.”

Cllr Murphy continued: “It's very good that as a council we're taking our obligations under the Official Languages Act seriously. I'm also happy at the executive's decision to remove any burden on community groups as result of the act.”

He added that there was no legislation in place stopping Cork County Council from placing advertisements solely in the Irish language.