A CHARITY watchdog is to examine concerns over a Stormont-backed social enterprise being linked to the selling of loyalist paramilitary flags.
It comes after The Irish News reported how the Lisburn Flag Shop sells UDA, UFF and Red Hand Commando flags though its Facebook page.
The pop-up business, which operates annually in the run-up to the Twelfth, asked online shoppers to pay using contact details for Laganside Business Services (LBS).
LBS was among several social enterprises supported through a Stormont pilot scheme worth more than £400,000.
The money was awarded to the Resurgam Trust to fund posts aimed at creating and supporting several new social enterprises.
The pilot scheme was launched in 2012 by the DUP's Nelson McCausland when he was social development minister.
The Resurgam Trust denied that LBS is involved in selling flags, saying that any connection is "purely a historical link".
After The Irish News posed questions to Resurgam last week, the Lisburn Flag Shop page disappeared from Facebook.
The business had described itself as promoting "Protestant, unionist, loyalist history and culture through the sale of flags and memorabilia".
It was based at Smithfield Square on the floor above a depot for Premier Taxi Company – another of the social enterprises that received support through the Stormont pilot scheme.
Resurgam, a community development organisation and registered charity, has continued to receive Stormont funding for its social enterprise work since the pilot scheme ended.
This has amounted to £461,615 between 2012-13 and 2017-18.
The Department for Communities said LBS is not directly in receipt of funding, but it has "sought formal assurance" that LBS has no association with the Lisburn Flag Shop and this will be "kept under review".
Asked about LBS links to the selling of paramilitary flags, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland said the matter would be examined.
"The commission will consider this information in full before deciding any next steps which may be required. For example we may write to the charity for clarification and further information if necessary," a spokeswoman said.
"On a general basis, the commission would advise that charities must always ensure that funding and support provided to other organisations promotes their charitable purposes."
In posts on Facebook, Lisburn Flag Shop asked shoppers keen to buy flags to use the email address 'lagansideprint@yahoo.co.uk' for making payments through PayPal.
This payment method was suggested to customers in the past two years.
Until queries were made last week, 'lagansideprint@yahoo.co.uk' was still the email address given for LBS on Resurgam's website.
Vince Curry of Resurgam denied that LBS is involved in selling flags, and said any connection is "purely a historical link" to an old name and former operations for the social enterprise.
The DUP did not respond to requests for a comment.
