Union flag to fly at Council on Twelfth

LISBURN Council has confirmed that it will fly the Union flag on July 12 - despite calls from a Sinn Fein Councillor for it not to do so.

Councillor Paul Butler has called on the Equality Commission to take action against the Council over their decision.

"In 2006 the Equality Commission ruled that the Council should restrict the flying of flags to the designated days as outlined in the flags legislation" he said. "However, Lisburn Council rejected this ruling and continued to fly a Union flag on the 12th July."

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He said it was now time the Equality Commission stepped in and ensure its 2006 ruling is enforced.

Mr Butler continued: "The flying of the Union Flag from Lisburn Council is provocative and insulting to the Catholic community and sends out the message that Catholics are not welcome in Lisburn. It is offensive for a public body like a local council to be engaged in this type of behaviour. I am demanding that the Equality Commission bring the Council to book over its breach of the commission's ruling.

"Council buildings should be seen as a neutral environment, where both communities can carry out their business, without any flags or emblems being displayed which are associated with either community."

A spokesperson for the Council explained that it undertook an Equality Impact Assessment as a screening exercise in relation to the flying of flags at Council facilities in 2006. The report was then brought to a Special Meeting of the Strategic Policy Committee on October 9 2006.

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The spokesperson said: "The Council advised the Equality Commission on the process and discussed the recommendations with the Northern Ireland Equality Body. These recommendations were subsequently agreed by the Strategic Policy Committee and ratified by the Council.

"The report recommended that authority be delegated to the Mayor of the day to approve the flying of the Union Flag, or any other appropriate flag, on exceptional occasions at Lagan Valley Island.

"Lisburn City Council can confirm that the Union Flag is flown at Lagan Valley Island on the designated days throughout the year plus two additional days, as agreed by the Council following the Equality Impact Assessment. The two additional days are the 1st July and the 12th July."