Junior minister calls for flags report to be published

Q Radio News/PA

Stormont MLAs have heard fears that a long-awaited report into dealing with flags and culture in Northern Ireland may never be published.

A Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition (FICT) was originally set up in 2016 in a bid to find consensus on the contentious issues, but devolution collapsed before it could deliver its report.

Its findings were finally submitted to the First and deputy First Ministers last July, but have not been made public.

During ministerial question time on Monday, MLA Trevor Lunn asked for an update on the report.

Sinn Fein junior minister in the Executive Office, Declan Kearney, said: “An Executive paper on progressing the FICT report was approved by the Executive on March 25 2021.

“A FICT working group is taking forward the steps in the Executive paper including cross-departmental engagement. Decisions on the publication of the FICT report will be a matter for all Executive ministers working together.”

Mr Lunn responded: “There is some history to this that these reports are not always published in a timely fashion and this one appears to have been side-lined to a working group, which indicates to me that it perhaps might never see the light of day.

“This report apparently cost about £800,000. Can the junior minister give us a more detailed reason as to why it hasn’t been published?”

Sinn Fein's Stormont junior minister Declan Kearney

Mr Kearney said: “I share the apprehension that the member has expressed. I can assure you that it is my full determination that we will see this process fully implemented and that there will be publication of the FICT report.

“I believe it is essential as to how we move forward as an inclusive, united and pluralist society where there is respect and regard shown to all traditions.

“However, it is now almost a year since we took possession of the report and I have sought repeatedly with officials and through special advisers to get this matter expedited over the course of recent months.

“The implementation programme needs to be owned by the entire Executive, all ministers must buy in to that approach.

“The intention was that we would have a special Executive meeting to discuss the report, recommendations and next steps, that has not happened. I have asked that it should be progressed, the blockage does not rest with myself.”

Sinn Fein MLA Jemma Dolan asked the junior minister: “Would you agree with me that the proliferation of flags at this time of year is an attempt to mark out territory and intimidate communities and should be roundly condemned from across this Assembly?”

Mr Kearney said: “I do wholeheartedly agree with you. Erecting flags to mark out territory instils fear, raises tensions, it damages community relations and it causes intimidation.

“It is just not acceptable and we do need to get to a point where we recognise that flags which are erected in mixed communal areas are causing sectarian intimidation and that that is the driving motivation.

“The police have a job to do on this matter, they need to step up to the plate. Where this is such provocation it should be challenged by everyone in political leadership.”

He added: “I am deeply alarmed at the emerging potential for illegal bonfires at interfaces in Belfast, and left unchallenged, that type of intimidation is only going to strengthen the barriers to building a safe and shared future for us all.”