Irish language group at centre of Belfast City Hall portrait saga has 'serious questions to answer' - MLA
The Irish language group at the centre of the row over a vandalised portrait at Belfast City Hall has questions to answer about its failure to provide information to the police, a UUP MLA has said.
Earlier this week, the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said that attempts to obtain a list of attendees from the external group responsible for hosting the event “were unsuccessful”.
On October 2024, a portrait of a former DUP Lord Mayor was vandalised during an event held by the Irish language charity Glór na Móna – which denied any knowledge of the vandalism, and condemned it.
It has resulted in a political row at Stormont after the PPS said this week that there was not enough evidence for a prosecution, despite the First Minister having told the Assembly last year that a former SF employee had made the party aware of his “involvement in an incident” and resigned.
Jon Burrows – a former senior police officer who now sits as an Ulster Unionist MLA – says there are “serious questions” about Glór na Móna’s handling of the PSNI investigation. He has questioned whether the group don’t keep records of who attends their events, or have refused to share them.
“Public trust has been damaged by the failure to bring anyone to justice for what, as a former PSNI officer, I believe was a crime that should have been solvable with proper cooperation”, he said.
The PSNI has declined to comment on the matter. Earlier this week, it said that it had made relevant enquiries, interviewed those with information and questioned suspects. Glór na Móna has been approached for comment.