Northern Ireland

Unionists will 'not allow' special rogue bonfire meeting

A special meeting of Mid Ulster council's environment committee will discuss 'rogue bonfires'
A special meeting of Mid Ulster council's environment committee will discuss 'rogue bonfires' A special meeting of Mid Ulster council's environment committee will discuss 'rogue bonfires'

UNIONISTS have said they will not allow a special council meeting called by Sinn Féin to discuss “rogue bonfires” in Mid-Ulster to be used as a “political tactic to squash a cultural activity”.

The meeting of Mid-Ulster District Council’s environment committee is expected to take place next week.

It comes after Belfast City Council last week voted in favour of allowing staff and contractors to remove material from any bonfire in the city, a decision being challenged by unionists.

Sinn Féin councillor Brian McGuigan said he asked party colleague Ronan McGinley, who chairs the Mid Ulster committee, to call a meeting “to ensure everything is done to reduce risk to ratepayers as a result of illegal activity”.

Last month the council removed tyres from several loyalist bonfires in the Cookstown area.

The committee’s deputy chair, UUP councillor Mark Glasgow, said last night he was not surprised by the development.

"It comes as no surprise that this special meeting has been called following the motion that Sinn Féin recently brought before Belfast City Council,” he said.

“Once again we see Sinn Féin pursuing a purely party political agenda."

Mr Glasgow added that will attend the meeting and listen “very carefully” to the issues that prompted Sinn Féin to call the meeting.

“I will also be ensuring that Sinn Féin is not allowed to use this special meeting as a political tactic to squash a cultural activity that has been enjoyed for many decades by the unionist community," he said.