Northern Ireland

Belfast-wide public consultation on flag flying

Loyalist flags erected in the Global Crestent and Canterell Close a 'shared neighbourhood' housing scheme area of east Belfast. Picture by Mal McCann.
Loyalist flags erected in the Global Crestent and Canterell Close a 'shared neighbourhood' housing scheme area of east Belfast. Picture by Mal McCann. Loyalist flags erected in the Global Crestent and Canterell Close a 'shared neighbourhood' housing scheme area of east Belfast. Picture by Mal McCann.

AN all-party council committee has recommended a Belfast-wide public consultation on the flying of flags.

The opinion-poll exercise will ask people what flags should be flown.

It will also seek views on where and when they should be flown.

Councillors met at Belfast City Hall yesterday to talk about the removal of paramilitary flags.

Members of Belfast City Council's Strategic Policy and Resources Committee have agreed to consult with the public on the presence of flags and banners.

"A format and details of this public consultation will be discussed a future Strategic Policy and Resources Committee," a spokesman said.

"The decision of the committee is subject to ratification by full council when it next meets in October."

This summer, the council attempted to take action on flags, but later chose not to upon receiving legal advice.

There were several complaints across the city, most of them about loyalist paramilitary flags.

Councillors backed a Sinn Féin motion in July to take a case against the Department for Infrastructure over its refusal to remove paramilitary flags from its property.

However, no legal action was taken at that time.

The new consultation is expected to begin in December or January.