Communities Minister Gordon Lyons goes to Washington, but his department refuses to detail what he’s doing

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is on a visit to Washington for what he called a meeting to highlight the role Northern Ireland and the Ulster Scots have played in the history of the United States.

But his department is staying quiet about the visit, ignoring questions even on whether the minister was in the US capital or give details on who he is meeting and what is being discussed.

Mr Lyons, criticised over meeting with representatives of loyalist paramiloi8tary organisation and his refusal to meet with the oldest Irish language group on the island, met with members of the White House Historical Society, including its president, Stewart D McLaurin.

The minister revealed on social media he was in Washington, on official business, late on Wednesday, approximately 10 hours after the Irish News first asked his department about the visit. The department acknowledged receipt but then ignored follow up messages on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.

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In his social media post, Mr Lyons wrote: “Thanks to Stewart and his team for meeting and agreeing to work with me to highlight the role that Northern Ireland and the Ulster-Scots have played in the history of the United States 🇺🇸.” The communities minister accompanied the post with images of the US flag, a handshake emoji and the Union flag.

Mr McLaurin noted that 17 US presidents can be traced to what is now Northern Ireland, adding he had the privilege of meeting the minister and discussed the “ties with #NorthernIreland and American history. @whitehousehistory”.

The minister was criticised over his recent meeting with members of the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC), whose members represent the UVF, UDA and Red Hand Command, still active a quarter of a century after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

It then emerged he refused to meet with Conradh na Gaelige, according to Conchúr Ó Muadaigh, the groups’s advocacy manager.

“On this occasion, we wrote to Minister Lyons to discuss his intentions around the Irish language strategy which he has primary responsibility for, a strategy which has been outstanding for almost 20 years,” Mr Ó Muadaigh said.

The department said Mr Lyons has met representatives from Forbairt Feirste, which it supports, and cross-border group Foras na Gaeilge during his time as minister.

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