Northern Ireland Health Minister Michael McGimpsey has stopped issuing his department's press releases and advertisements in Irish and Ulster Scots as a matter of policy.
He told the Assembly yesterday that the practice of automatically issuing documents in English, Irish and Ulster Scots had cost £151,000 (€216,800) since Sinn Féin's Bairbre de Brún introduced the policy five years ago.
The Ulster Unionist Minister told members translation services would still be made available on request. But he added that "every penny is precious" and claimed his decision was based on the need to save money for the workload which was growing since devolution was restored in May.
He told North Belfast DUP member Nelson McCausland: "That's the figure I have now but with the increased activity that devolution has brought about I would have anticipated an increase in that figure - more than the roughly £30,000 a year. In fact, substantially more than that."
Department of Health officials will continue to accept correspondence in Irish and to translate press notices when requested. The Minister told his party colleague John McCallister the savings realised would be returned to the health and social services budget. "Obviously in an area like health and social services every penny is precious because health and social services is dealing with every single man, woman and child in Northern Ireland and their health and their wellbeing.
"I think it is crucial that we look to make full use of every resource allocated to us."
Ms de Brún said the decision was "deeply disappointing" and she called on the Minister to reconsider.
"In a pluralist society the provision of services including health services must include more than just the English language," she said.
In other business, Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie told the DUP's Gregory Campbell that she was working to alleviate deprivation everywhere and remained committed to tackling all deprivation, regardless whether it was in a loyalist or a nationalist community.
She had been asked to state her position in light of her threat to withdraw £1.2 million support for a Conflict Transformation Initiative in areas where the outlawed Ulster Defence Association is still strong.
The grant, designed to encourage loyalists to decommission weapons and opt for a purely political path, was allowed under direct rule last March. However, Ms Ritchie said she will withdraw the grant in light of worrying violence over the summer unless the UDA begins decommissioning. Her deadline expires next week.