Craigavon councillors vote in year-round union flag display

The Union flag at Craigavon Civic Centre. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

Craigavon councillors have voted to keep the union flag flying 365 days a year at the Civic Centre.

At a meeting of the council last night (Monday), Sinn Fein had attempted to have an earlier motion cancelled, claiming flying the flag every day was contrary to good community relations.

However, a rescinding motion was defeated by 14 votes from the DUP and UUP, with eight Sinn Fein and SDLP councillors voting in support and UUP councillor Ronnie Harkness abstaining.

The vote was taken in open council, but only after a confidential meeting where councillors were given legal advice.

Councillor Gemma McKenna had proposed that the decision taken on January 15 be reversed in light of a consultant’s report and legal advice.

She claimed the decision could result in the council facing litigation and a judicial review.

However, Carla Lockhart of the DUP said they had originally wanted to see the Union Flag on seven different locations and that the Civic Centre was a “compromise”.