Fermanagh and Omagh council's 'Irish Unity' project is 'abuse of power' and misuse of ratepayers cash - Ulster Unionists
A local council’s decision to fund an ‘Irish Unity Working Group’ is a scandalous misuse of ratepayers money – and is “political, divisive and outside the law” an Ulster Unionist MLA has said.
Diana Armstrong has accused officials at Fermanagh and Omagh District Council of “sitting back and allowing” an “overtly nationalist agenda to be advanced” – despite an expectation that the local authority is politically impartial.
The UUP has written to the local government minister Gordon Lyons seeking his view on whether the council’s actions are appropriate and “consistent with the standards of political impartiality expected”.
However, the council says the decision to establish the working group “was taken in accordance with the Council's Standing Orders and normal operating procedures”.
In July, councillors backed a Sinn Fein motion to set up the group to “assess views on all the issues relating to constitutional change”.
Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Diana Armstrong has condemned the council’s priorities – saying that up to £20,000 has been allocated to be spent on research documents for the group before the end of the financial year in March.
“This is a clear abuse of council powers and a scandalous misuse of hard earned ratepayers’ money, particularly after Sinn Féin councillors blocked an earlier Ulster Unionist proposal that would have instead directed the money to deliver increased grant funding for local community organisations.
“To put it simply: this is not neutral ‘research’ or harmless civic engagement by Fermanagh and Omagh Council. The creation of an official ‘Irish Unity Working Group,’ combined with public lectures and political discussions on how to ‘prepare’ for a united Ireland, effectively amounts to ratepayers’ money being used to promote a single constitutional outcome.”
“At a time when families are struggling and community groups are being told there is no money available, Sinn Fein have chosen to spend tens of thousands of pounds advancing a political project the council has no business running. Constitutional matters are explicitly reserved and are not the role of district councils, yet Sinn Fein have pressed ahead regardless.
“Many ratepayers across the district do not support Irish unity. They should not be forced to pay for activities they quite reasonably see as political, divisive and outside the law. Councils are expected to be politically impartial - Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has completely abandoned that principle.
“I'm also very concerned that senior officers within the Council, who again are meant to be entirely impartial, are simply sitting back and allowing this overtly nationalist agenda to be advanced.
“Every pound spent on this working group is a pound not delivering core Council services, supporting local facilities, or helping voluntary groups survive.
“This should not be happening, it should not be funded, and it should not be tolerated. My party colleagues on the council have already written directly to the Communities Minister to highlight the issue. We are not going to let this issue rest.”
A letter from the Ulster Unionist Party to Gordon Lyons, seen by the News Letter, says that “ratepayer funds should be directed toward the delivery of core local services and statutory responsibilities, not towards deeply divisive constitutional discussions over which the council has neither authority nor mandate”.
It urges the minister to “consider whether the actions of Fermanagh and Omagh Council in this matter are appropriate, compatible with its statutory powers, and consistent with the standards of political impartiality expected of local authorities”.
A spokesperson for the council said the decision was taken at a meeting on 1 July 2025.
"This decision was ‘called in’ and following receipt and consideration of the related legal opinion, the Council reconsidered the matter at the October 2025 Council meeting and the decision to establish the Working Group was upheld.
“Membership was considered at the November 2025 Policy and Resources Committee and ratified at the December Council meeting. The draft Terms of Reference and associated indicative workplan are included on the Agenda for the Policy and Resources Committee to be held this evening, 20 January 2026.
“At the December 2025 Council meeting, a budget of £15,000 to £20,000 for the current financial year was allocated to the Working Group”, they said.