Northern Ireland council to pay staff time in lieu to attend Pride - UUP man says it's a 'dangerous precedent'
An offer to local council staff for ratepayer funded time in lieu to attend Pride parades is an improper use of funds and sets a “dangerous precedent”, an Ulster Unionist Party councillor has said.
Victor Warrington says he has “no objection whatsoever" to employees attending Pride events in a personal capacity – but cannot support the “active institutional encouragement” of participation by staff at Fermanagh and Omagh council.
It follows an email to staff encouraging attendance at upcoming events in Enniskillen and Omagh. Staff were offered “two hours time in lieu for attendance”.
The council says it is part of a commitment to “equality, diversity and inclusion” – and participation in Pride is part of an Equality Action Plan which Cllr Warrington proposed.
Mr Warrington, UUP group leader on the council, told the News Letter the offer should be withdrawn immediately.
“Let me be absolutely clear: I have no objection whatsoever to any employee attending Pride events in their own personal capacity. That is their right and I fully respect it.
“What I cannot accept, however, is the active institutional encouragement of staff participation by senior management, combined with the offer of ratepayer funded time in lieu. This is an improper use of ratepayers’ money, and it is wrong.
“Furthermore, this decision sets a dangerous precedent. Will the council now offer time in lieu to employees who attend the Twelfth of July parades? Or harvest festivals, church services, or any number of other cultural and community events that are important to people across this district? If the answer is no, then this policy is discriminatory in its application.
“Council management should not be in the business of picking and choosing which social or cultural events warrant public subsidy. The council must treat all such events equally, and the appropriate position is to treat none of them as grounds for paid time off”.
Omagh Pride’s Facebook page says encourages participants to “stand up for LGBTQ+ rights and the ongoing fight for equality and liberation”. On the Fermanagh Pride page, the group posted for International Women’s Day saying: “Today we celebrate ALL women—cis, trans, nonbinary, queer, and beyond!”
Pride parades across the UK have struggled to attract sponsors and faced opposition from gay rights and women’s groups over their stance on transgender issues.
The News Letter asked the council for its response to Cllr Warrington’s comments and whether it accepts the move sets a precedent for other events.
A spokesperson said: “The Council’s corporate support and participation in Pride parades in the District is one element of its broader equality, diversity and inclusion work, which is detailed in the Council approved Equality Action Plan (2025-2028).
“The Equality Action Plan, in which Pride participation is highlighted, was considered by the Policy and Resources Committee in June 2025. Councillor Warrington is a member of this committee and had proposed the approval of this plan which was agreed unanimously.
“Staff participation in Pride events is entirely voluntary, and where staff do attend, they do so in a corporate capacity on behalf of the Council. Any arrangements, including time in lieu, are applied in line with established HR policies and operational requirements”.