TUV questions Irish tricolour illumination for Belfast City Hall 'on the whim' of one citizen

Cllr Ron McDowell was commenting after a council committee unanimously accepted a proposal to light up the building on April 18 to mark the birthday of Irish president Michael D Higgins.

The recommendation of the Strategic Policy and Resources (SP and R)Committee will now go before a meeting of the full council on Monday to get the final green light.

The council report states: “This request has been received by a member of the public who noted City Hall is illuminated for HM King Charles’ birthday.

“In recent years members have approved previous illuminations received from members of the public that do not meet the criteria approved by members (four in 2021, one in 2022 and one in 2023).”

The report states the colours were “not stated in request” but added council officers were “presuming green, white and orange.”

Cllr McDowell, the TUV deputy leader, said: "A president who has no links to Northern Ireland let alone Belfast should not be the object of focus or expense on the whim of a rogue application from one citizen.

"I am disappointed that there appears to have been little to no opposition to this proposal within the committee."

The council report shows an estimated £10,000 per annum is spent in staffing costs for additional illuminations approved. It states: “There are additional overtime staffing costs to programme the scheme and to be present on the evening of each illumination to ensure the LED colour system is correct.”

At the S,P and R committee meeting, DUP councillor Bradley Ferguson said: “I am not making further proposals on it, but reading (the report) it says (the request) came in from a member of the public. I am wondering how this process comes about?

“Because if it is just one member of the public (required), we could get a bit carried away – we could have requests every day of the week. (My question) is not about what it is being lit up for, but just the process.”

Alliance Councillor Eric Hanvey said: “If we are doing this we should speak to the president’s office, and ask him about what we should do, and about what the protocol is.”

City solicitor Nora Largey replied: “I am happy to do that, to take it on board in the paper. In relation to requests from the public, the policy really needs to be updated in terms of illuminates.

“We don’t generally accept requests from members of the public, but we have on occasion in the past, so it hasn’t been applied as a very, very hard rule. I think it is something we need to address whenever we bring forward a review of policy.”

No elected members made any objections to the request, and there was no vote at the committee meeting.

Council corporate communications confirmed the committee agreed to the request, which will go to the full council for ratification.

Governance arrangements allow illuminations to take place on 10 agreed annual days, plus any council-run events, plus for charities nominated by the council’s three civic dignitaries.

Illumination may take place “in other specific circumstances where approved by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee”.