Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew has called for ongoing funding from the Department for Communities to support the Place-Name Project.

Gildernew chairs the Communities Committee. He made the comments after the Communities Minister stated funding for the service lasts only until summer 2026.

The project assists local councils and statutory bodies with official Irish language versions for street signs.

It holds details on origins and meanings of more than 30,000 place names across Northern Ireland.

Gildernew stated the project preserves and advances cultural and linguistic heritage tied to local land and sites.

He expressed concern over the funding cutoff in summer 2026 without assurance of continuation.

Gildernew stressed the need for the department to keep supporting the work.