People in Dublin are “furious” at the City Council’s “tone deaf” decision to erect ‘Winter Lights’ instead of ‘Christmas Lights’, Aontú has claimed.
The council’s website boasts that Dubliners can see ‘Winter Lights’ in 25 locations across the city centre.
However, it makes no mention of ‘Christmas’ and Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said it was “quite incredible” how many people are upset by the change.
“It’s also incredible that DCC have remained so tone deaf on this issue,” he told Lunchtime Live.
“I’ve never seen a public body so determined to ignore a public backlash and carry one regardless in relation to an issue.
“These Christmas lights should be a good news story.
“Instead, it’s been turned into a controversy by a bull headed attitude by Dublin City Council to rename them into ‘Winter Lights’.”
Christmas lights in Cork last year. Picture by: Darragh Kane.Deputy Tóibín described the council as “tone deaf” and said Christmas has always been one of the “unifying cultural aspects of our society”.
“There’s many other countries such as Greece or Italy and Spain where the practice of faith has fallen significantly in the last number of decades,” he said.
“But they’re still quite proud of their Christian heritage.”
The Meath West TD said not mentioning Christmas undermines efforts to build a pluralistic society.
“For years, people talked about the need for diversity and here we have cultural diversity and some aspects of society want to delete that cultural diversity and make it, what I would call, a kind of joyless uniformity,” he said.
“I think that’s a mistake.”
Lights and shoppers on Grafton Street Dublin. Picture by: Leah Farrell/© RollingNews.ie.The Aontú leader added that while it is not the “most important thing in the world”, it still matters.
“Bread and butter issues are far more important,” he said.
“But if you’re listening to people on the street or talking about it, they’re furious about this kind of stuff happening.”
Main image: A Winter Lights sign display. Picture by: Alamy.com.
