Latest news with #DUP
Belfast Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
DUP demands Sinn Féin action on republican bonfire while facing ‘hypocrisy' claims over loyalist pyres
This newspaper first reported that a person was hospitalised after an incident at the site in Derry's Meenan Square last week. On Radio Foyle this morning, East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell accused Sinn Féin of being 'in absentia in the past few days'. He said that 'everybody knows every year that this bonfire causes a problem and a series of problems on occasions'. Mr Campbell added that, in previous years, the bonfire has contained offensive items such as poppy wreaths and flags, and that shots have been fired in the vicinity. He said there 'needs to be a statement of intent from Sinn Féin that they intend to work with the police and with the local community in the Bogside to make sure that doesn't happen this year'. Mr Campbell pointed to the close proximity of the unionist Fountain estate as well. It comes after DUP MLA Gary Middleton warned of a 'void of political leadership', saying it is time Sinn Féin 'stepped up and made clear this situation is unacceptable'. He said the bonfire has been 'a source of serious concern for some time, causing disruption, raising safety fears'. However, the SDLP said 'it is a bit rich to hear the DUP call for leadership around bonfires given their failure to deal with these issues in other areas and their refusal to consider any kind of regulation in the past'. The Bogside bonfire is due to be lit in mid-August at the site managed by Apex Housing, with £11m redevelopment plans repeatedly delayed because it cannot find a contractor willing to remove bonfire materials. Construction is not due to begin until next year. The DUP was asked if Mr Middleton or Mr Campbell have condemned loyalist bonfires including the Fountain pyre that contained a sign reading 'Taigs out' beside crosshairs in the run up to the Twelfth. The party has not responded. On Radio Foyle, Mr Campbell was also asked if his position could be viewed as 'hypocritical' as his party opposed the removal of a bonfire in south Belfast which was built on a site containing asbestos and reportedly posed a separate risk to the power supply to local hospitals. He responded by saying DUP councillors worked on the ground to ensure there were no problems and criticised 'hyping in the media'. Watch: Controversial Village bonfire in Belfast goes ahead after council order for removal Addressing criticism, Sinn Féin Foyle MLA Ciara Ferguson said the planned 'anti-community bonfires' in Derry are in stark contrast to the hundreds of positive alternative events taking place in the city this summer. 'There is no place for these bonfires in our society which attract anti-social behaviour, and threaten the health and wellbeing of local residents," she added. 'Their safety must come first. Hundreds of positive events are set to take place right across Derry this August. 'Fantastic work is being done by a wide group of organisations to celebrate art, sport, music, our heritage and culture, while also discussing and debating the important issues of the day. 'Derry is a city bursting with pride and potential. The images portrayed this summer must project a community that is working together to move forward and build a better future. 'We have an incredible story to tell. Let's ensure it continues to be told in the right way.' Last year, Union flags, a King Charles coronation flag, and an Israeli flag were displayed on the pyre along with offensive banners, prompting the PSNI to confirm it was treating the incident as a hate crime. A year previously, police launched an investigation after shots were fired near the site. In 2021, posters placed on the bonfire made reference to former PSNI chief Simon Byrne and murdered Catholic officer Ronan Kerr. Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan said: 'The SDLP's position is clear that we would prefer there to be no bonfires taking place in our city, but the Executive's failure to regulate bonfires means that depressingly, and predictably, communities continue to be challenged by these issues every summer. 'In the absence of an agreed way forward, steps will have to be taken to manage this bonfire safely so that it passes off with minimal harm to our environment and the local community. 'The Executive Office's inability to progress the Meenan Square project is partly why we find ourselves in this situation again and the blame for that cannot be laid at the feet of young people in the Bogside.' Mr Durkan encouraged young people to participate in the many alternative events on offer as he made a direct plea to bonfire organisers 'to refrain from the burning of any flags, symbols or effigies'. "We have seen some sickening displays of hate recently and I really hope that young people here can rise above such activity,' he added. 'The SDLP will continue working with community leaders to make every effort to ensure this bonfire passes off without incident.'
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
OPW bans tour guides from wearing green or orange at site of the Battle of the Boyne
The Office of Public Works (OPW) has banned tour guides from wearing green or orange clothing at the site in Meath where the Protestant King William III defeated the Catholic King James II in the Battle of the Boyne. The location is of particular significance to unionists, as William's victory in 1690 established Protestant dominance in Ireland, and is commemorated by the Orange Order with a series of marches on July 12 each year. The rule prohibiting guides from wearing green or orange at the Battle of the Boyne visitor centre is not contained in the official OPW Guide Handbook, which is supplied to guides and information officers at heritage sites. Instead, the directive is being communicated directly to new guides by a supervisor at the visitor centre after they have been hired, according to emails released under freedom of information laws. The instruction, which is believed to be aimed at respecting the sensitivities of both unionist and nationalist visitors, is not the only unusual dress code directive issued by the OPW to its guides. A section of the handbook dealing with clothing and uniform requirements specifies that 'nudity is prohibited at all sites'. Asked why it was considered necessary to include this in its dress code for new tour guides, the OPW declined to comment. The Battle of the Boyne visitor centre was developed following the allocation of €15 million of government funding in 2005. Last year, a further €10 million was provided for the centre under the Shared Island initiative. The site was famously chosen as the venue for Ian Paisley's (left) first official meeting as Stormont first minister with Bertie Ahern (right) in 2007 where he presented the DUP leader with a musket used in the battle. File picture: Collins The site was famously chosen as the venue for Ian Paisley's first official meeting as Stormont first minister with Bertie Ahern in 2007. The then-Taoiseach presented the DUP leader with a musket used in the Battle of the Boyne. An email titled 'Welcome aboard' sent by a supervisor to a newly hired seasonal guide last year contained details of the dress code for staff at the visitor centre. It prohibits items including army jackets and clothes that feature 'slogans, badges or emblems'. The email stated that 'green and orange are not permitted on site'. The OPW provides an annual allowance for guides where colour-coded clothing is mandated by local management. This is payable at a rate of €210 for permanent guides, and €100 for seasonal workers. The OPW declined to comment when asked about the prohibition of green and orange clothing at the Battle of the Boyne site. Read More Loyalist bonfire on site with asbestos lit despite warnings
BBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Bogside: DUP says Sinn Féin's silence 'deafening' over bonfire
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has accused Sinn Féin of a "deafening" silence over plans for a republican bonfire on private land in Londonderry, which has stalled work on a £11m development. Last week, a man needed hospital treatment after he fell from the bonfire which is under construction at Meenan Square in the site is managed by Apex Housing, which has had to delay work on a project because it cannot find a contractor willing to remove the bonfire member Gary Middleton said there was a "void of political leadership from Sinn Féin in the Bogside" over the bonfire, which has sparked controversy in recent years. Sinn Féin has been asked for comment. Last year, police said they were treating the display of flags and banners - including union flags, a King Charles coronation flag and the flag of Israel - on the bonfire in the Bogside as a hate 2022, police investigated shots being fired near the site and in 2021 posters placed on the bonfire referenced former Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable Simon Byrne and another the murder of Catholic police officer Ronan Kerr."This bonfire has been a source of serious concern for some time, causing disruption, raising safety fears and delaying an £11 million publicly-funded redevelopment project," Middleton said."That investment is being stalled because not a single contractor is willing to go near the site to remove materials, citing threats and safety risks."It is time they [Sinn Féin] stepped up and made clear this situation is unacceptable." Injured man transferred to Belfast hospital Last Wednesday evening, a man was seriously hurt after falling from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) confirmed that a man was taken to injured man was treated for undisclosed injuries at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry, before being transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Housing has declined to comment but previously said it was continuing to re-secure boundary fencing and gates following repeated incidents of "forced entry" at the £11m development will include social housing, community services, retail, commercial and office space. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it was committed to working with partners, including local councils and community representatives, to address community safety issues linked to City and Strabane District Council said, while it does not authorise or regulate bonfires, it does engage with a wide range of partners to minimise the impact on communities.A spokesperson said it would continue to liaise with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) regarding the storage and disposal of tyres and other materials which may be placed on bonfires. Why is the bonfire being lit? Bonfires on 15 August are traditional in some nationalist parts of Northern Ireland to mark the Catholic Feast of the bonfires are also lit in August to commemorate the introduction of internment without trial of republican suspects during the Troubles, which was introduced by the UK Government in 1971.
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
OPW bans green and orange colours from Battle of the Boyne site and tells staff they can't be nude
The location is of particular significance to Unionists, as William's victory in 1690 established Protestant dominance in Ireland, and is commemorated by the Orange Order with a series of marches on July 12 each year. The rule prohibiting guides from wearing green or orange at the Battle of the Boyne visitor centre is not contained in the official OPW Guide Handbook, which is supplied to guides and information officers at heritage sites. Instead, the directive is being communicated directly to new guides by a supervisor at the visitor centre after they have been hired, according to emails released under freedom of information laws. The instruction, which is believed to be aimed at respecting the sensitivities of both Unionist and Nationalist visitors, is not the only unusual dress-code directive issued by the OPW to its guides. A section of the handbook dealing with clothing and uniform requirements specifies that 'nudity is prohibited at all sites'. Asked why it was considered necessary to include this in its dress code for new tour guides, the OPW declined to comment. The Battle of the Boyne visitor centre was developed following the allocation of €15 million of government funding in 2005. Last year, a further €10 million was provided for the centre under the Shared Island initiative. The site was famously chosen as the venue for Ian Paisley's first official meeting as Stormont first minister with Bertie Ahern in 2007. The then-Taoiseach presented the DUP leader with a musket used in the Battle of the Boyne. An email titled 'Welcome aboard' sent by a supervisor to a newly hired seasonal guide last year contained details of the dress code for staff at the visitor centre. It prohibits items including army jackets and clothes that feature 'slogans, badges or emblems'. The email stated that 'green and orange are not permitted on site'. The OPW provides an annual allowance for guides where colour-coded clothing is mandated by local management. This is payable at a rate of €210 for permanent guides, and €100 for seasonal workers. The OPW declined to comment when asked about the prohibition of green and orange clothing at the Battle of the Boyne site.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Cenotaph wreath rules were changed to placate unionists, Blair-era files show
Tony Blair's government altered the rules on party leaders laying wreaths at the Cenotaph to keep unionists onboard with Northern Ireland's peace process, newly released files show. The decision was taken in the run-up to the Remembrance Sunday ceremony in 2004 to change rules drawn up in 1984 that meant leaders of parties who won at least six seats at the previous general election could lay a wreath. The old rules meant that David Trimble, whose Ulster Unionist party (UUP) had won six seats in 2001, could take part, while his rival Ian Paisley could not, after his Democratic Unionist party (DUP) won five seats. However, when Jeffrey Donaldson defected from the UUP to the DUP in 2003, the balance was reversed, and the Democratic Unionists complained they were being treated unfairly. Papers released by the National Archives show that the then Northern Ireland secretary, Paul Murphy, wrote to colleagues in government: 'We will undoubtedly face renewed pressure from the the DUP this year given that they are now not only the largest NI party but also have six Westminster MPs (and had done resoundingly well in the assembly and Euro elections).' 'But we are now involved in intensive dialogue over the political future in Northern Ireland in which the DUP, and the UUP, are the key players,' he added in a memo to which Blair was copied in. 'I fear, therefore, there are now pressing political reasons for amending the 1984 formulation.' Charlie Falconer, then the constitutional affairs secretary, expressed concern, saying there could be an 'adverse reaction' from Scottish and Welsh nationalist parties to the prospect of two wreaths being laid by Northern Irish parties while they were limited to laying a joint wreath. Paisley went on to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph for the first time, a reflection of the DUP's status as the largest party in Northern Ireland at that point, with Trimble also taking part. Other files reveal how Blair's chief of staff had urged him privately to convince 'securocrats' in the British state of the need to be brave and swiftly tear down watchtowers and armoured bases as part of a move to get the IRA onboard as the peace process hung in the balance. 'As always we have no plan B,' Jonathan Powell wrote to Blair in December 2002 at a time when he judged the situation to be 'pretty grim' after the first collapse of Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive, loyalist paramilitary violence and attempts to get the IRA to demobilise. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion But the files also illustrate the high-stakes balancing act the Blair administration was engaged in amid negotiations with Irish republicans and handling pushback from Britain's security services. 'The only way to get the IRA onboard is to go for full normalisation in one go. It is probably also the safest way to do it – we need to make republicans responsible for the safety of police in places like south Armagh with a warning we will reverse the steps if they are harmed. And that can only be done if we go the whole way,' wrote Powell. 'The securocrats will tell you that all we can do is take a few minor steps, that the threat from dissidents remains etc. You will need to convince them when you see them in the first week back that they have to draw up a plan to go straight to pulling down all towers, pulling down armoured police stations etc. This will require real bravery on their part.'
