Republican News · Thursday 11 October 2001

Courts uphold Mandelson ruling on flags

Describing a decision by the High Court in Belfast to uphold Peter Mandelson's ruling that Sinn FÈin ministers Bairbre de Br˙n and Martin McGuinness must fly the British Union Jack, Conor Murphy said the decision would further undermine the Agreement.

While in office as British Secretary of State in the North, Mandelson overrode the Agreement and ruled that all government buildings must fly the British Union Jack on 17 days of the year.

Sinn FÈin, in its legal action, argued however that under the Agreement the Irish national flag should fly alongside the British flag or no flag should be flown.

Commenting on the decision, delivered last Wednesday, 3 October, Murphy said: "The Good Friday Agreement is crystal clear on the issue of flags. Participants to the Agreement signed up to the principle that equality, mutual respect and parity of esteem must form the basis of relationships. The Agreement also requires that symbols and emblems when used for public purposes should be used in a manner which promotes mutual respect rather than division. These principles clearly apply to the issue of the flying of flags over public buildings. Peter Mandelson's intervention was an attempt to preempt a resolution of the issue as set out in the Agreement."