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Row as council fails to agree on funds for Easter Rising centenary

The Four Courts garrison saw some of the bloodiest fighting during the 1916 Easter Rising
The Four Courts garrison saw some of the bloodiest fighting during the 1916 Easter Rising The Four Courts garrison saw some of the bloodiest fighting during the 1916 Easter Rising

A ROW has erupted at Antrim and Newtownabbey council after it failed to reach an agreement on allocating any funding for the Easter Rising centenary.

No funding has been set aside for commemorations after councillors were unable to reach a consensus during a heated debate.

The unionist-dominated authority has already earmarked £50,000 for events to mark the Battle of the Somme centenary.

A nationalist proposal to give £40,000 towards Easter Rising events was defeated during the meeting on Monday night.

Most councillors also dismissed the DUP's proposal to offer zero funding.

And a proposal from a councillor working group for £10,000 was also knocked back after being rejected by DUP and Sinn Féín councillors.

Sinn Féin's Anne Marie Logue described it as an "absolute disgrace" and claimed republican and nationalist ratepayers were being treated as "second-class citizens".

Th councillor accused Alliance and unionist parties of showing "no commitment to equality, mutual respect or parity of esteem".

But Alliance councillor Tom Campbell, who was part of the working group, dismissed the criticism and said he was "disappointed" that no compromise was reached.

"Those of us who participated in trying to find a pragmatic and workable figure which could proportionately reflect these events were roundly attacked in the council debate," he said.

"Sinn Féin had its figure of £40,000 rejected and bizarrely opposed approving the compromise figure."

DUP councillor Phillip Brett said the outcome "vindicated" the party's stance against commemorating the Irish rebellion.

He added that support for community groups is available through the council's good relations funding and other sources such as the Republic's government.