Sinn Féin demand explanation as portrait of President is removed
Following a social media post by Ms Kelly, Sinn Féin councillors were quick to notice that a portrait of Mr Higgins had been removed from a reception parlour in the building.
Sinn Féin has now called on Ms Kelly to explain the decision to remove the portrait. Lord Mayor of Belfast Tracy Kelly. Pic: Belfast City Council
The portrait had been placed in the reception room by Sinn Féin's Ryan Murphy when he was lord mayor. The picture was put up after Mr Murphy received a portrait of King Charles and decided to place the two side by side. This was then followed by a formal event to mark the occasion.
The portrait's disappearance prompted Mr Murphy to question its whereabouts in a council meeting on Tuesday.
Belfast City Council confirmed that the portrait, despite no longer being on display, is being safely stored at City Hall, 'at the request of the current lord mayor'. President Michael D Higgins. Pic: Joe Giddens –In a council meeting on Tuesday, Mr Murphy praised Ms Kelly on her work so far as the Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) first female Lord Mayor of Belfast before raising concerns surrounding the removed portrait.
In a transcript of the meeting released by the BBC, Mr Murphy said: 'When our representatives have been in that position of being the mayor, there were certain things that we never took off the walls. There were certain things we felt were off limits.'
The council defended the decision, saying decoration of the City Hall was 'a matter for each individual lord mayor throughout their term in office. Former Lord Mayor Ryan Murphy. Pic: Belfast City Council
Mr Murphy said there was 'no rationale behind the removal of this portrait', asking, 'What kind of message does it send out for the people in this city who hold the President of Ireland in high regard?'
The DUP said that 'decoration of the lord mayor's parlour is not yet complete' and that 'there will be further artefacts to be added in the next few weeks'.
Mr Murphy described the initial placement of the portrait as a symbolic means of representing the many communities of Belfast, saying, 'a large section of the community in Belfast have a deep respect for Uachtarán na hÉireann and that was reflected in the presence of the portrait in City Hall'.
He told Extra.ie: 'The mayor of Belfast has a responsibility to promote respect and tolerance for all traditions in our city.'
This isn't the first time controversy has arisen surrounding the placement of portraits in Belfast City Hall. In 2011, Sinn Féin lord mayor Niall Ó Donnghaile upset unionists after removing pictures of the Queen Mother and Prince Philip from the reception parlour.
He replaced them with the 1916 Proclamation and a portrait of the United Irishmen, sparking outrage from DUP councillors at the time.
Last October, there was controversy after the PSNI opened an investigation into damage caused to a portrait of former DUP lord mayor Wallace Browne at Belfast City Hall. The PSNI would later declare it a hate crime. A Sinn Féin employee from Stormont later came forward to the party's chief whip, admitting to causing the damage and later tendering their resignation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
12 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Seán Kelly says he is reconsidering Fine Gael nomination for presidential election
Sean Kelly is reconsidering seeking a nomination to run for president, the Fine Gael MEP has said. The party is re-entering a nomination process for the Áras an Uachtaráin posting, after Mairead McGuinness withdrew from the race on health grounds weeks after securing the party's backing. Former Fine Gael minister Heather Humphreys, who was also previously deputy leader of the party, is also considered to be in the running for the nomination. Heather Humphreys (Brian Lawless/PA) Mr Kelly told Newstalk on Saturday that he had waited to make a statement on the matter. 'My complete sympathy is with Mairead McGuinness. We worked together in the European Parliament for a good number of years 'She was all set to put in a tremendous campaign and hopefully be elected as president. 'I didn't want to say anything, I think she needed the time and space.' Fine Gael will consider the election in the coming days through a meeting of its executive council. Mr Kelly said: 'But obviously the goalposts have changed and you have to definitely reconsider.' He said he did not seek a nomination last time, but added he would 'reconsider very carefully' and 'weigh up all the options' before making a decision. He added that anyone who enters any race had to be 'in it to win it'. Mr Kelly said he wanted to see what Fine Gael's executive believed would be best for the party and country, as well as consider what would be best for his own family. Pressed on whether Ms Humphreys had the backing of the party already, he said he did not think discussions had reached that stage. 'There's no rush, let's take it as it comes.' Elsewhere in the race, independent TD Catherine Connolly has secured the backing of Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and a range of other independents. Catherine Connolly (Brian Lawless/PA) Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin have yet to decide if they will field a candidate. Fianna Fáil minister Jim O'Callaghan offered reaction to Ms McGuinness's decision to RTÉ News: 'I wish her well in the future. It's a campaign that's getting exciting – as one would expect as we head towards September.' Meanwhile, Nutriband entrepreneur Gareth Sheridan is among hopefuls seeking a nomination. A presidential election is expected towards the end of October, as it must take place in the 60 days before the term of Michael D Higgins ends on November 11. To be eligible to run, a candidate must be an Irish citizen who is 35 or older. They must be nominated either by at least 20 members of the Oireachtas or at least four local authorities. Former or retiring presidents can nominate themselves.
Irish Independent
20 hours ago
- Irish Independent
‘Drastic reduction' in funding for housing scheme will have ‘real and painful consequences' for tenants in Wexford
Now, following WCC's confirmation that just 20 homes will be purchased under the scheme this year – compared to 35 in 2024 - local Sinn Féin councillor Tom Forde has accused Minister Browne of directly impacting those at risk of homelessness. 'As a public representative for the people of Wexford, I want to express my deep disappointment at the significant reduction in the capacity of WCC to acquire homes under the Tenant-In-Situ scheme in 2025,' said Cllr Forde. 'Under new directives from the Department of Housing, the council is now expected to acquire a possible 20 units in 2025, with some of those acquisitions coming from 2024 applications. "This drastic reduction—potentially more than 50 per cent — is a direct result of diminished funding allocated by the Minister for Housing, James Browne. WCC availed of just over €8m for this scheme in 2024, with funding reduced to just over €6m for 2025. The minister is clearly moving in the wrong direction.' Under the changes to the scheme local authorities and approved housing bodies have been requested to prioritise buying houses for families with children, older people, or people with disabilities. Furthermore, WCC can only enact a purchase in cases where a landlord has issued a no-fault eviction notice with the intent to sell the property. Previously, councils were permitted to buy any property where a tenant was facing eviction due to a landlord selling the property, provided they were in receipt of housing supports like Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) or Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS). 'This decision will have real and painful consequences for people in our community,' continued Cllr Forde. 'The Tenant-In-Situ scheme has been one of the few effective tools to prevent homelessness and protect renters caught in an increasingly hostile housing market. Reducing its scope at a time when no fault eviction rates remain high is both unacceptable and unjust. 'WCC has worked hard to make this scheme a success, but we cannot do it without the necessary support from central government. The reduction in funding severely hampers our ability to intervene and offer housing security to families and individuals who need it most. I am calling on the Minister for Housing to immediately review this short-sighted decision and restore full funding for the Tenant-In-Situ (TIS) scheme in Wexford and across the country. "We must not turn our backs on those at risk of homelessness. Everyone deserves a secure place to call home.' Confirming that WCC will 'acquire possibly 20 properties' through the scheme in 2025, a spokesperson for the council said, 'We will continue to accept any applications for TIS from eligible applicants who are in receipt of a valid notice to quit (NTQ), however, we are yet to receive confirmation from the department on whether the scheme will continue or if funding will be available in 2026.' Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
RTÉ News
21 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Strangest of days as launch for Áras overtaken by events
It was the strangest of days. August is usually decried as "peak silly season" as the Dáil, courts, schools and many commentators are off. But it's also seen as a great time to get airtime, should you need it. Gareth Sheridan, the businessman bidding to be Ireland's youngest ever President at 35, launched his campaign on Thursday in the serene surrounds of The Shelbourne, in the Constitution room, no less. Surrounded by portraits of the greats of Irish history like Michael Collins and Éamon de Valera as well as a dozen journalists, the young businessman set out his stall. But he opened up a can of worms when he said he felt there was a campaign being orchestrated against him, while saying he wasn't pointing the finger at any individual. Cue 20 minutes of questions about that very topic. The whole press conference took an hour, and to his credit, Mr Sheridan took it in his stride; is he populist? He says no, while saying he wants to "Make Ireland Home Again". But the toughest thing about his launch? Events, dear boy, events. Barely three hours later, news landed into newsrooms and journalists' emails like a bombshell. Mairead McGuinness was withdrawing from the Presidential race, on health grounds. There was heartfelt shock and messages of support from across the political divide. Understandably most keenly felt in Fine Gael, who had nominated the former EU Commissioner last month. As stated both in her own statement and by the Tánaiste, Ms McGuinness decided to, and had to, prioritise her health. For a politician of over 20 years, and a career in journalism before that, the additional blow of this being her best shot at a job she so clearly wanted made it all the more poignant. Mairead McGuinness wanted to run in 2011 but dropped out to clear the way for Gay Mitchell. 2025 could have been her year, according to polls, but it's not to be. Where does this leave Fine Gael, who were far ahead of their partners in Government and their natural foes, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin? You could count Fianna Fáil there twice. I'm looking up at you Collins and Dev. Several senior Fine Gael ministers and former ministers say the party should and will field a candidate. Their Executive Council will meet shortly to choose the person and keep the momentum going. Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin are biding their time. The feeling of TDs in both parties is they should nominate a candidate, but there are pros and cons to that. It costs a lot of money, and a significant spend is no guarantee of success. It might make sense to wait and see who Fine Gael chooses. Frances Fitzgerald says her decision remains the same as previously, and she won't seek the nomination. While MEP Seán Kelly says he will "most likely reconsider" his possible candidacy in the campaign "in light of Mairead's unfortunate withdrawal". Heather Humphreys is the name on everyone's lips, but she's keeping hers shut, for now. Michael Healy-Rae, the Independent minister, says she would make an excellent candidate, and would appeal to a wide base. That won't be music to any other potential contender's ears. If Simon Harris, or anyone else in Fine Gael could persuade Heather Humphreys to reconsider, it would certainly be an interesting development. Up until recently, this presidential campaign was sorely lacking in those.
