[Kilsally]

http://www.belfastte...sp?story=530121
Bunting row may hit court
Council warned of payment for decorations on July 12

By Michael McHugh
newsdesk@belfasttelegraph.co.uk

10 June 2004
A LEGAL challenge could be mounted to Craigavon Borough Council's controversial decision on the erection of bunting over the July holiday, it emerged today.

The council pays for loyalist bunting to be erected every July and Sinn Fein has threatened court action on the grounds that the council accepts the situation is unequitable yet voted this week to defer a resolution of the matter for a further six months.

Unionists have accused Sinn Fein of stirring up a legal hornets' nest which may ultimately lead to the banning of Christmas decorations as offensive to those of non-Christian faith.

The Equality Commission has warned the council that they may face legal action under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act if they pay for council bunting to be erected to celebrate July 12.

Sinn Fein councillor John O'Dowd said: "I am aware of at least one ratepayer who has contacted the Equality Commission with a view to mounting a legal challenge. The party has been looking at a legal challenge itself.

"This issue has been before the council for the last two and a half years and the council has already said that it is inevitable that the current practice will have to be changed and yet we have unionist councillors still justifying this.

"I know that they have no intention of changing the policy, after two and a half years this further delay was inevitable."

The Upper Bann Assemblyman said the council had no licence from Road Service to decorate the service's poles.

Equality Commission officers advised the council last summer not to erect bunting because of its equality implications, although admitting the possibility that others may fill the vacuum left by the council.

The successful motion which has sparked Sinn Fein's threat was proposed by councillor Jonathan Bell and called for a six-month moratorium on changing the policy, during which the impact of any new plan could be assessed.

"Sinn Fein is saying that if the council puts up civic decorations and they are not to their liking then they should be taken down. It would be a disaster if they force us to take down the Christmas decorations because there are many minorities in the area who do not share our Christian beliefs," Cllr Bell said.

"In Craigavon we have a clear record in terms of community relations. There is bunting put up for the holiday period and there is many festivals associated with the loyalist/Protestant/unionist tradition.

"There are two traditions here, if Sinn Fein want to pick out an aspect of Craigavon Borough Council decisions purely because it reflects our Ulster/British identity then the Equality Commission has to look at all of that."

The former mayor pointed out that the council agreed to give funds to an Irish language festival and to provide £100,000 to the St. Patrick's Day holiday.