The chair of the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) said plans for an Irish language school in east Belfast were “causing polarity and volatility in the community” during a meeting with the Education Minister Paul Givan.
Mr Givan met with the LCC, which represents the UDA, UVF and Red Hand Commando paramilitary groups last week, which led to criticism from various political parties and groups.
The Department of Education said the meeting was to discuss “a range of issues relating to education underachievement in loyalist areas and share information on the Department’s RAISE programme and other relevant initiatives”.
However, the LCC said it also used the meeting to raise concerns about a proposed Irish language school in east Belfast and urged Mr Givan to stop the development.
The BBC reported a note about the meeting that was released by the Department of Education, said that LCC chair David Campbell claimed plans for Irish-language school Scoil na Seolta were not supported in east Belfast and instead were “causing polarity and volatility in the community”.
The meeting was also attended by Mr Givan’s special advisor, Richard Bullick.
Belfast City Council gave planning permission for the proposed temporary nursery and primary school and soft play area in June.
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The school is backed by Irish language campaigner Linda Ervine and would be the first Irish language school in east Belfast.
The meeting between the LCC and Mr Givan caused controversy and was widely criticised.
Former UUP leader and Upper Bann MLA Doug Beattie, hit back on X (formerly Twitter), noting how the LCC felt “threatened by: A temporary nursery, a primary school and a soft play area. I do not believe this represents the majority view of the loyalist community”.
While Sinn Féin MP John Finucane said: “It’s outrageous that a group which includes representatives of loyalist gangs are attempting to influence decisions about our children’s future and right to be educated through the language of their choice.”
Last week Mr Campbell said the backlash is an example of “best practice in political hypocrisy” and those critical of the meeting are the same people who also preached the need for loyalism to move away from protest to politics.
“The extremely constructive meeting with Paul Givan dealt primarily with the subject of educational underachievement and inequality in loyalist areas, particularly in relation to loyalist teenage boys,” Mr Campbell said.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons also said ministers receive invitations from people across Northern Ireland and “that doesn’t mean people are telling us what to do” – it “means we are listening to different perspectives”.
Scoil na Seolta previously said they received over a 100 letters from parents expressing interest in sending their child to the school, which received permission to set up in the Montgomery Road area.
A spokesperson for Scoil na Seolta said last week: “Our school offers a safe and inclusive environment for all children from across east Belfast. With over 100 expressions of interest from parents in the past weeks we look forward to welcoming children through our doors soon.
“Our school is fully independent, sourcing its own funding, and has not relied on the Department of Education for any financial assistance.”