NI Executive ‘A laughing stock’ says High Court Judge who urges members to resolve language row

ALAN ERWIN, Irish News (and Belfast Telegraph), September 12th, 2025

THE executive should attempt to resolve a row over Irish language signs at Belfast’s Grand Central Station and avoid being seen as a “laughing stock”, a High Court judge urged.

Mr Justice McAlinden called on ministers to enter discussions instead of spending vital public money being on opposing sides in a legal battle.

Putting back a challenge mounted by loyalist activist Jamie Bryson, he declared it a test for the power-sharing administration to demonstrate political consensus can be reached on issues of dispute.

Funding for the case could instead go towards tackling the “parlous” state of Northern Ireland’s health service and infrastructure, or pollution in Lough Neagh, it was suggested.

‘We need a grown up Executive’

“We need as a society to have a grown-up executive that works together, not adopting a silo mentality and throwing brush shafts into each other’s spokes for political gain,” the judge insisted.

“It’s not working… we are being regarded as a laughing stock.

“We have moved on from killing each other, but we haven’t moved much further from that.

“We owe it to our children… to work together in a constructive manner, appreciating there are differences but having mutual respect for those differences.”

Mr Bryson is seeking to judicially review Sinn Féin Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins’ decision to approve the installation of Irish language signs at Grand Central Station.

He claims the decision to allocate £150,000 for the train station project was so controversial and cut across other Stormont departments that the issue should have been brought to the Executive Committee for discussion and agreement.

By failing to take that step Ms Kimmins breached the Ministerial Code, Mr Bryson contends.

DUP Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has already been granted permission to intervene proceedings based on his opinion that the decision was cross-cutting.

With the challenge originally set for a hearing later this month, Irish language rights group Conradh na Gaeilge and TUV MLA Timothy Gaston lodged further applications for participation status.

But Mr Justice McAlinden questioned whether Mr Lyons should also have sought executive agreement before taking any “unilateral action” to intervene.

‘More important issues need addressed’

During a review hearing he repeatedly stressed the potential expense of two separate government departments being involved in the legal challenge.

“There is an awful lot of public funds being incurred when, if we have a functioning executive, it could well use those public funds to address much more important issues such as the parlous state of the health service and the parlous state of infrastructure,” the judge stated.

“We (also) have the biggest inland body of water in Europe which is reaching a stage where it is incapable of sustaining any form of life due to the inability of the executive, it would appear, to resolve the issue of discharge into that body of water, giving rise to annual problems of blue-green algae.”

He urged the departments to try to reach a consensus on the disputed issue, and then seek the opinion of Stormont’s chief legal advisor, Attorney General Dame Brenda King, before continuing a courtroom battle.

The imminent appointments of Northern Ireland’s first Irish language and Ulster-Scots commissioners were also raised.

Belfast’s Grand Central Station has been open for just over a year

Citing their reported combined salaries of up to £180,000, Mr Justice McAlinden indicated the commissioners should also be consulted in a bid to defuse the argument.

“If there is still disagreement we can come back to court and address Mr Bryson’s challenge,” the judge said.

At one point Tony McGleenan KC, representing the Department for Infrastructure, claimed two ministers being in court on opposing sides was an indication of political failure.

Mr Justice McAlinden responded by highlighting the potentially cost-effective alternative resolutions, and the separate roles performed by the judiciary and legislature.

“Running to court every time something like this happens – if the executive was functioning properly I’m not sure there would be the need for people like Mr Bryson to raise these issues,” he said.

‘Parity of Esteem’

“The whole issue of parity of esteem within this territorial sphere involves the acceptance of culture and one of the most fundamental expressions of culture is language.”

Adjourning the case for eight weeks, Mr Justice McAlinden insisted he could not order any ministers to enter discussions.

Instead, he explained, his request was an opportunity for the government at Stormont to demonstrate cooperation.

“They are just back from summer recess and the press is full of stories about lack of progress, nothing being done and [parties] just squabbling,” he said.

“This is a test for the executive to see whether maturity is finally developing in our political system, so that issues like this can be resolved maturely in the legislature without having to run to court.”

He added: “Perhaps as years go by the tensions that exist in our society and the sectarianism that exists in our society will melt away and we can avoid the harm being transferred down generations.”

Conradh na Gaeilge welcomed moves to seek the opinion of the Irish language commissioner, describing it as a “sensible and prudent” step.

The group’s president, Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, said: “We would anticipate that the commissioner will come to the conclusion that dual-language signage in shared spaces is a best-practice model enjoyed and enshrined in other countries with similar circumstances, ultimately supporting the minister’s original position.”

But Mr Bryson claimed outside court: “It is now over to the DUP to block the imposition of Irish language signage at Grand Central Station, and the deputy first minister to block any steps proposed by any Irish language commissioner which would seek to impose such signage.”

Chequers meeting: UK and Ireland 'very close' to new Legacy framework says Taoiseach

Belfast News Letter, September 12th, 2025

The leaders of the UK and Irish governments “are at one” on the pathway for a new framework on the legacy of Northern Ireland’s Troubles, the Taoiseach has said.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hosted Taoiseach Micheal Martin at Chequers in Buckinghamshire, on Friday as the two Governments continue to hail an improvement in relations following Brexit.

The leader of Ireland’s government described the bilateral, which also touched on international matters, as “very warm and constructive”.

Mr Martin said a framework on legacy matters is “very close” but refused to give a timeframe on when the agreement will be announced.

The Taoiseach said: “Very good progress has been made on legacy and the Prime Minister and I agreed that we are close to setting out a framework to address legacy issues, recognising its importance to victims and survivors, and to the wider community in Northern Ireland and across these islands.”

Speaking to Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTE, after the meeting, Mr Martin said he was “not going to put a time down on it but it’ll be shortly”.

The Taoiseach said Ireland and the UK are “committed to continue working together with the coalition of the willing” to strengthen support for Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia.

Mr Martin said Ireland would be “willing to play a role” in peace monitoring and peacekeeping in Ukraine.

He said there were also other tasks such as demining that could contribute to the maintenance of a ceasefire.

“We’ve been part of many peacekeeping missions around the world where we’ve been effective: Chad, Lebanon, Kosovo; and so, therefore, I think it’s important that Ireland plays its role in terms of any potential peace or ceasefire (in Ukraine).

“At the moment, however, there is no sign that Russia is serious about cessation of the war.”

Mr Martin said he would work with EU colleagues to implement further sanctions on Russia.

He said they also discussed the “catastrophic situation in Gaza”, reiterating his call for the need for a ceasefire, the release of all hostages and a “massive surge in humanitarian aid”.

The Prime Minister previously met the Taoiseach in March, in Liverpool, in a new series of annual UK-Ireland summits, hailed as the “next chapter” in their relationship after having “turned a page on the turbulent years”.

Mr Martin said they will put “concrete flesh on the bone” on a range of initiatives during the next summit to be held in Ireland in early spring.

Troubles victims ‘significantly more likely’ to need disability welfare

Mark Hennessy, Irish Times, September 12th, 2025

“Disability rates are significantly higher in Northern Ireland than in Great Britain,” according to a report, “The legacy of the Northern Irish Troubles and disability” from the Economic and Social Research Institute.

“There are a range of potential reasons for this, but one important factor is the legacy of the region’s 30-year civil conflict which has had enduring impacts on the physical and mental health of those affected,” it went on.

Older working-age adults in Northern Ireland are twice as likely to receive disability benefits compared to people in England, with “personal exposure” to violence increasing the likelihood of requiring disability payments by 21 percentage points.

The numbers peaked in 2016 with 11 per cent of Northern Ireland’s population receiving such benefits, including 19 per cent of people aged 50 to 64 – the ones who grew during the height of the violence.

Importantly, the disability claims are concentrated in NI’s most socially-deprived areas, though these were also the districts that saw the most of the killings, bombings, kidnappings and coercion by paramilitary organisations.

“Those who are older, less educated, unmarried or living in Belfast are all more likely to be in receipt of (disability),” the authors of the report, Anne Devlin*, Declan French and Duncan McVicar wrote.

Religion not a significant factor

Significantly, however, the collation of the research shows that religion, on the other hand, has no significant effect on the likelihood of receiving disability allowance after controlling for Troubles exposure and these other characteristics.

The long shadow left by the Troubles is even more evident on the mental health of those affected by violence over the decades, making later problems 38 percentage points more likely.

The numbers provide “a partial explanation for the higher prevalence of mental ill-health” in Northern Ireland, which is “particularly concerning” given the numbers affected by intergenerational transmission of trauma.

“Individuals who directly experienced the conflict were more likely to report poor mental health and, to a lesser extent, cancer,” say the authors, who warn about the consequences this will have for future health spending.

“Given existing strains on NI’s health system – such as long waiting times and funding shortfalls – understanding the drivers of disability and poor health is vital.

“Interventions to address intergenerational trauma could reduce future reliance on disability-related benefits. These findings are especially important amid renewed debates on welfare reform, where NI’s unique context must be considered,” the report goes on.

If the test of a country is how it treats its most vulnerable citizens, we are coming up miserably short

FIONOLA MEREDITH, Belfast Telegraph, September 12th, 2025

They're back again. They don't give up. But how many times will it take before anybody listens?

On Monday, families of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, from across Northern Ireland, made the journey to Stormont once more to protest over a lack of support and services. Many are desperate for help.

Suzy Ward from Derry was among several parents who spoke to the BBC. She said that her son, Eoyn, was now at home full time, which meant she could not get a break and was “constantly on the go”.

Most of the family's support fell away once Eoyn left his special school.

“I really feel that we need opportunities, respite and support,” Suzy said.

“It's so difficult. There are days where we are both at home and I feel like a prisoner.”

The protest was arranged to coincide with the return of Assembly members to Stormont, following the summer recess.

Very few MLAs listened

A few, but only a few, MLAs bothered to walk down the steps to listen to parents who have been battling for years just to get the basic things most of us are lucky enough to take for granted — a reasonable quality of life, some free time now and then, the possibility of a fulfilling future for our children.

It is easy, but perhaps misguided, to be entirely cynical about MLAs.

Some speak out with real courage against violence, even at personal risk; others provide quiet help to constituents in ways that are never going to make the headlines.

But has there ever been a group so consistently failed by Stormont as the families of some of our most vulnerable young people?

Many parents came to the steps of Stormont with pictures of their children to show, as if anyone should really need telling, that they are not statistics. They are valuable young people with as much right to a future as everyone else.

They came with stories of gruelling, long-fought battles simply to get school places, vital support, respite or health care.

Tina Henderson, from Newtownards, talked about having to fight constantly for help for her son Robin. Sheena McCann, from Lurgan, spoke of similar endless stress.

Her son, Joe, is 17 and is in the process of transitioning into adult care services.

“In our case, we are getting two days in the day centre for a few hours and that's not going to work. He needs the same place to go to for consecutive days. It's very difficult to get him out of the house,” she said.

‘Everyone is failed here’

“It's really left to me and my husband, and it's very hard to know we can't leave the house. Ten years ago, you would have got five days and transport; everyone is being failed here.

“I can't believe in this day and age that this has been allowed to happen.”

The indefatigable Alma White from Caleb's Cause was at Stormont too, having helped to organise the gathering.

This is the latest stage of her campaign to get MLAs to legislate for a plan to enable young people, like her autistic son Caleb, to have help and hope when they leave school. These are stories of real and heartbreaking need that stretch across thousands of homes and lives here. The necessary means to alleviate that need criss-cross government departments from education and health to economy and finance.

Each year, we have the annual scandal over a lack of school places, inconsistent and sometimes non-existent respite support and, despite the fantastic work of some organisations, the lowest rate of employment for disabled people in the UK.

Failing after failing after failing and families left feeling isolated, alone, and desperate.

How can this dreadful state of affairs be allowed to continue?

True, some of the problems are complex and difficult to solve.

They may take time, effort and an upending of the way things have been done up to now. But that's what good government involves, not a constant parroting of pet causes, endless selfies for social media or the 'no can do' mentality that often seems to permeate public services.

If the true test of a country is how it treats its most vulnerable citizens, then our dysfunctional little state is coming up miserably short.

Important as it is to see and hear them, can we please ensure that we don't have desperate parents and vulnerable children stuck at the bottom of Stormont's steps again next year?

Because, for a change, they'll be getting the help they need. Is that really too much to ask?

It’s still the ‘Carry On the Troubles Show’ at Stormont

ALEX KANE, Irish News, September 12th, 2025

A PARAGRAPH in Charles King’s review of the new biography of William F Buckley (Buckley: The Life And The Revolution That Changed America) resonated with me: “He bequeathed one big idea to the conservatism of today. The problem with liberals wasn’t just that they wanted more government. It was that they wanted to share government with people who, out of ignorance, indoctrination, or natural inadequacy, could be relied upon to muck it up.”

Hmm. Does that remind you of something?

To make it easier, I’ll paraphrase: “An Executive dependent on mandatory coalition and requiring no demonstrable evidence of genuine cooperation means government dominated by two polar opposite political parties who, out of calculated stupidity, self-interest and sheer bloody-mindedness, can be relied upon to make a dog’s dinner of everything.”

MLAs had barely resumed their seats after the summer break before a new ding-dong was under way.

As a father of an eight-year-old and 16-year-old, I am well aware of the strops that accompany the reopening of the school gates. But at least things return to normal within a few days.

Up at Stormont, though, with its sense of relentless ennui, the only normal involves precisely the same normal that has serially banjaxed everything since November 1999.

Tit for Tat

The latest banjax began with the Sinn Féin/SDLP majority on the Derry and Strabane council opposing – successfully as it turns out – the presence of the British army at a jobs fair.

It continued on The Nolan Show when Gavin Robinson accused Michelle O’Neill of failing to live up to her claim that she was a ‘first minister for all’.

After an hour or so of deliberation, she told him to ‘butt out’ of the issue and let the council get on with its own business.

DUP minister Gordon Lyons then weighed in as it was said there would be no funding from his department to the council unless the block on the army was withdrawn.

Meanwhile, O’Neill will not be attending the state banquet in honour of President Trump on September 17 – which is just three days before SF confirms whether it will contest the Irish presidential election (and she didn’t rule herself out).

But Emma Little Pengelly will be attending: “This isn’t about what I personally feel about them; it is not even about their political opinion. It is about me being in this role and stepping up and showing leadership and engaging with people where there is a particular interest and importance for Northern Ireland.”

A sharp little put-down there for O’Neill.

Two Govts in Stormont

What all of this demonstrates – loudly and clearly – is the continuing existence of something I have written about since the changes made during the St Andrews Agreement: the reality that we have two governments in the one executive.

O’Neill’s ‘butt out’ response to Robinson’s criticism can be summed up as: “What happens in Derry and Strabane council, stays in Derry and Strabane council.”

“ MLAs had barely resumed their seats after the summer break before a new ding-dong was under way

Little Pengelly’s putdown can be summed up as: “Well, if you can’t go and represent NI as the first minister for all on September 17, I’ll go and do it.”

It didn’t take long, either, for the border poll to be pushed back into the spotlight again: and pushed by O’Neill again.

But it is getting to the stage at which it is being mentioned, not in any expectation of success by SF, but simply to be said for the sake of saying it.

Sinn Féin’s base is sick of the assembly and even more sick of the DUP and TUV. They don’t want Northern Ireland to work. That is not part of their agenda.

The argument for a border poll is, they reckon, at its most powerful if the place is seen to be dysfunctional.

So the party will keep on and on and on talking about it: which, in itself, makes a mockery of O’Neill’s continuing insistence that she is a first minister for all.

‘The Defiant Ones’

Meanwhile, even though the DUP doesn’t regard O’Neill as a benign, inclusive first minister, and has rejected the contents of Paul Murphy’s review into the Windsor Framework (which was supposed to address and resolve its concerns about the sea border and EU regulations), it will stay in the executive.

Not because it expects anything to be different, of course, but because it doesn’t fancy the sort of direct rule alternative which the British and Irish might cobble together.

Those of you who have seen The Defiant Ones (Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis locked together and learning to put aside previous hatreds if they are to survive) will recognise some parallels with our post-2007 executive arrangements.

The Defiant Ones had a reasonably happy ending. Sadly, the executive version is trapped somewhere between Carry On, Psycho and Groundhog Day.

Funding cuts after asbestos found in remains of bonfire

Irish News, September 12th, 2025

ASBESTOS was discovered in the remains of an Eleventh Night bonfire in Co Antrim, it has emerged following a local council committee meeting.

The site, in the Neillsbrook area of Randalstown, will receive less funding from a council-managed programme next year following the discovery of asbestos and because two Irish tricolours were set alight.

Councillors in Belfast attempted to stop a bonfire on the Donegall Road after asbestos was discovered close to the site. The bonfire was lit.

Other organisers of bonfires in the Antrim and Newtownabbey Council area will be penalised for allowing Irish and other flags to be torched, a move opposed by DUP representatives.

Flags were burned at four bonfire sites that participate in the council’s bonfire management programme – Neillsbrook, two in Rathcoole and Ballycraigy in Antrim.

Organisers of the Neillsbrook fire will receive 20% less funding while the others will be penalised with a £700 penalty.

23 sites benefit from scheme

Twenty-three sites in Antrim and Newtownabbey took part in this year’s scheme, which had a budget of £171,000 and was aimed at enabling family fun events to be held at a cost of up to £3,500 each. Groups do not receive funding directly from the council.

Flag representing the four provinces of Ireland was burned at Ballycraigy in Antrim

As part of the programme, groups are banned from erecting/displaying racist, sectarian or paramilitary paraphernalia such as flags, emblems, effigies on or in the vicinity of the bonfire site or in the vicinity of any activities associated with the programme.

Councillors heard how the contractor found the asbestos in the remains of the fire and that “urgent removal” had to be arranged.

The cost of removing the asbestos will be revealed at a later closed door meeting.

The report also stated PSNI neighbourhood officers reported Irish and other flags were burned at a number of bonfire sites in the borough which Dunsilly Sinn Féin councillor Annie O’Lone described as a “hate crime”.

Ms O’Lone proposed to impose the penalties, which was approved on a vote of seven for and six against.

“It shows we as a council do not tolerate hate crimes or environmental crimes on our watch,” she said.

DUP councillor Paul Dunlop, from Antrim, voted against imposing sanctions linked to four sites where flags were burned or for the presence of asbestos. Mr Dunlop said inspections were carried out on the sites.

He also argued councillors should wait for the completion of a review of the current bonfire management programme, including funding arrangements

Lyons slammed for Derry’s soccer funding ‘exclusion’

MARK ROBINSON, Irish News, September 12th, 2025

DERRY City FC bosses have said they will “take time to reflect and discuss” after it emerged the club will not be receiving a penny from the £36.2m NI Football Fund.

Yesterday, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons revealed the 20 clubs which are progressing to the next assessment stage in a £36.2m NI Football Fund.

The Department for Communities (DfC) said 38 clubs applied to the fund.

However, Derry City FC and neighbouring club Institute FC were both left out in the cold when it came to awarding the much sought-after cash.

In response to the announcement, SDLP MLA for Foyle Mark H Durkan questioned the lack of clubs from the north west.

“There will be bitter disappointment in Derry and across the north west at the failure to award a single penny to Derry City Football Club from the Northern Ireland Football Fund,” he said.

“Institute FC, who are desperately hoping to secure a new home in our city, and Coleraine FC, also in need of funding, were excluded -while most of the money was awarded to clubs in the greater Belfast area.

“This will come as no surprise from a DUP-led department.”

Mr Durkan added that Derry City had been waiting “nearly 15 years” since the Sub Regional Stadia Programme was first announced and assurances were made from “Sinn Féin Ministers” that the Brandywell Stadium would benefit.

“To have the rug pulled out at the last moment is utterly unacceptable,” he said.

“To put it bluntly, this funding process has been an utter farce from start to finish. Several clubs have raised serious concerns about how applications were handled and how these decisions were made.”

The communities minister said that “need and demand at club level exceeds the current available budget” and that he appreciated the “hard work” which had gone into all applications.

“I know that some will be disappointed today. But this is not the end of the journey,” he said.

“I give my commitment today to stay with you and continue to seek further funding to meet the evidenced need.”

Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew said the announcement by Mr Lyons must now face full scrutiny.

“Many clubs who have been included in the announcement will rightly be overjoyed, and I want to congratulate them,” said Mr Gildernew.

‘Frustrated and angered’

“However, there will be clubs, like Derry City and Coleraine FC, who are deeply frustrated and angered by today’s announcement.

“The announcement must be fully scrutinised to ensure equality, transparency and accountability underpin all decisions.

“Sinn Féin wants to see investment across all sports and communities, including support for the GAA to redevelop Casement Park, which is long overdue.”

Last night First Minister Michelle O’Neill called for “full transparency and fairness” around the allocation of the fund Ms O’Neill called for all parties in the executive to “come together and work to deliver additional investment for the regional football stadia fund, the redevelopment of Casement Park, and for other sports”.

“There are concerns from many soccer clubs, including Derry City, about their exclusion from today’s announcement by the Communities Minister,” she said.

“There needs to be full transparency and fairness before any final decisions are made.

“I want to deliver increased investment for sports, including soccer, rugby, boxing, and the GAA.

“I am calling on all parties in the executive to come together and work to deliver additional investment for the regional football stadia fund, the redevelopment of Casement Park, and for other sports. With collective will, this can be done.”

A Derry City FC spokesperson told The Irish News: “Derry City FC has noted this morning’s announcement from Sports Minister Gordon Lyons regarding the allocation of funding from the Northern Ireland Football Fund.

“The club will take time to reflect and discuss our options going forward.

“We will not be making any further comment until then.”

Stadia funding decision 'puts boot into Derry,' claim local reps

GARRETT HARGAN, Belfast Telegraph, September 12th, 2025

LYONS INSISTS CLUBS SELECTED ON STRENGTH AND NOT GEOGRAPHY

The First Minister has said many football clubs are concerned about their “exclusion” after Communities Minister Gordon Lyons announced long-awaited stadia funding.

Clubs in the north west such as Derry City FC, Coleraine FC and Institute FC did not receive anything from the Northern Ireland Football Fund, prompting claims the funding is centred too heavily around the Greater Belfast area.

DUP minister Mr Lyons defended the allocations, insisting it was not done on a geographical basis, and noted there will be further opportunities for funding in the future. The funding was initially approved by the Executive in 2011, and the minister announced yesterday which clubs were in line for potential funding.

Cliftonville and Glentoran were the only two clubs listed in Tier Three, which means they will receive more than £6m each for projects to Solitude and the Oval respectively.

Other successful clubs in Tier Two included Ballinamallard United, Ballymena United, Banbridge Town and Bangor.

But there was dismay at others who missed out, including Derry City and Institute, whose ground was destroyed by severe flooding in 2017.

First Minister Michelle O'Neill said: “There are concerns from many soccer clubs, including Derry City, about their exclusion from today's announcement by the Communities Minister.

“There needs to be full transparency and fairness before any final decisions are made.

“I want to deliver increased investment for sports, including soccer, rugby, boxing, and the GAA.

“I am calling on all parties in the Executive to come together and work to deliver additional investment for the sub-regional stadia fund, the redevelopment of Casement Park, and for other sports. With collective will, this can be done.”

Coleraine

East Londonderry MLA Claire Sugden said it was also “deeply disappointing” that Coleraine FC had missed out on funding, after being unsuccessful in both the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund.

“Coleraine FC put forward ambitious plans to redevelop the Showgrounds,” she said.

“The South Stand project would have created modern facilities, provided new spaces for youth player development and turned the ground into a regional venue capable of hosting women's and youth internationals.

“It would also have supported the Super Cup NI, which is one of the most important youth tournaments in the world and a huge asset to the north coast.”

She added: “This is not just about facilities for football. Coleraine FC is part of the fabric of this community. It provides opportunities for young people, supports families, and brings people together.

“To see these plans delayed again is a setback for the club and for everyone who values the role it plays in our community.”

Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan said there will be “bitter disappointment in Derry and across the north west at the failure to award a single penny to Derry City Football Club from the Northern Ireland Football Fund.”

He said north west clubs were excluded “most of the money was awarded to clubs in the Greater Belfast area.”

He added: “This will come as no surprise from a DUP-led department.”

Mr Durkan described the funding process as an “utter farce from start to finish”.

Meanwhile, People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin said the funding allocation “puts the boot into Derry teams”.

Derry City FC have been promised money for development for many years, he said. Mr Harkin also spoke of Institute FC's “long and illustrious history and tradition” within the city, with “a model for bringing together young and talented sportspeople from all backgrounds”.

Defending the allocations, Mr Lyons said he knows clubs will be “disappointed”, but gave his “commitment today to stay with you and continue to seek further funding to meet the evidenced need.”

He added: “It's important to note that this was not done on a geographical basis.

“I do want to see regional balance when it comes to sporting facilities, but it was done on a scoring mechanism and on the strength of their application - and that's important to know.

“There has been a good geographical mix, the north west aside.

“However that has been over the strength of the applications. Geography has not come into that.”

55 people are facing charges linked to riots in Ballymena

ALLISON MORRIS, Belfast Telegraph,  September 12th, 2025

FIGURES REVEALED AS PSNI SAYS ITS PROBE INTO DISORDER IS NEARLY OVER

New figures show 55 people were charged in connection to racially-motivated riots in Ballymena over the summer, as police say their investigation is now coming to an end.

A total of 59 people aged between 12 and 56 years old have been arrested as part of the investigation into several days of rioting in the Co Antrim town.

A specialist unit set up to investigate the disorder is to be wound down weeks earlier than planned.

While officers claim this was down to budgetary constraints, the PSNI said all “main lines of enquiry” have now been explored, allowing for the early winding down of the Mid and East Antrim Public Order Enquiry Team.

The riots in June followed the arrest of two teenage boys, who were charged with an alleged sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl.

It was later reported that the suspects - both aged 14 - spoke in court through a Romanian interpreter to deny charges of attempted rape.

A peaceful protest was planned in support of the girl and her family, but crowds poured onto the streets and disorder broke out over several nights, spreading to other towns such as Larne and Portadown.

In total 64 police officers were injured in the violence, and a number of homes occupied by foreign national families were attacked or destroyed.

Police Scotland sent officers here during the trouble after PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher requested extra support under mutual aid arrangements to deal with the added pressure.

The violence started in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena but quickly spread to other places. In Larne, masked youths attacked a leisure centre and set it on fire. The centre had been providing emergency shelter for families following the clashes earlier that week, the council said. They had all been relocated at the time of the attack.

Many of the families who fled their homes have still not returned.

Education Minister Paul Givan said at the time that some schoolchildren had attacked the homes of their own classmates.

Among the youngest person charged is a 13-year-old girl who was arrested for riotous behaviour following violence on Wednesday, June 11.

The girl can't be named because of her age. Her mother, who is in her 30s and who cannot be identified to protect her daughter's identity, has also been charged with child cruelty.

Officers say that despite the high volume of work, the specialist team brought together to investigate the riots was being wound up on November 7 rather than the 28th as planned, saying they were informed this was due to budget constraints.

However, a PSNI spokesperson said: “It is anticipated that the work of the Mid and East Antrim Public Order Enquiry Team (POET) will be complete by the start of November.

“Due to the fast pace and high volume of investigations completed to date, the main lines of enquiry have been explored .

“These dedicated efforts have resulted in the arrest of 59 males and females aged between 12 and 56 in relation to disorder in Ballymena in June. 55 of these persons have been charged.”

Scottish man facing trial on charges arising from anti-immigration riot in Belfast

ASHLEIGH McDONALD, Irish News, September 12th, 2025

A MAN from Scotland is to stand trial later this year on four charges arising from an anti-immigration riot in Belfast.

Reece Dunnett (24) from Vorlich Way in Dunfermline, appeared at Belfast Crown Court yesterday.

After confirming his identity to a court clerk, Mr Dunnett was charged with riotously assembling together with others on August 3, 2024.

When asked how he pleaded to the charge, Mr Dunnett replied “not guilty”.

He was then charged with, and denied, two counts of criminal damage on the same date – namely damaging a Suzuki Alto and a Vauxhall Astra.

Dunnett was also charged with arson and he entered a ‘not guilty’ plea to damaging or destroying by fire shutters and trolleys belonging to the Sham Supermarket on the Donegall Road on August 3 last year.

All the charges relate to disorder which broke out in the Sandy Row/Donegall Road area of the city following an anti-immigration protest.

Following the arraignments on the four charges, Judge Patrick Lynch KC enquired about the duration of the trial and was told by defence barrister Michael Boyd that it would be “at the most three days”.

The judge set the date for the trial to commence as November 12 and listed the case for review.

'Pathetic' pint-sized protester ignored by fellow race rioters in Belfast avoids jail

ASHLEIGH MCDONALD, Irish News and Belfast Telegraph, September 12th, 2025

A 63-year old man involved in a race riot in Belfast last summer has avoided prison.

David Dubois, who had been drinking in the Sandy Row Rangers Supporters Club prior to his offending, was given a six-month sentence, suspended for two years, at Belfast Crown Court yesterday.

Dubois, from Duncairn Close, faced a single charge of attempting to obstruct police in the execution of their duties on August 3, 2024.

On that day an anti-immigrant rally was held in the city centre and following this a crowd began making its way to the Islamic Centre on University Road.

A short time later, disorder broke out in the Donegall Road/Sandy Row area.

Police came under attack and several foreign-owned businesses were targeted.

Dubois was involved in a related incident that afternoon and the footage was played during sentencing.

This video, taken in Sandy Row, showed Dubois talking to a number of bystanders.

It then showed him standing in the middle of the road on his own and trying unsuccessfully to block a police vehicle.

Crown barrister David McNeill said this occurred while the “main riot was happening further down Sandy Row”.

Mr McNeill said it was clear from the footage Dubois tried to encourage other people to join him, which he failed to do.

Pointing out Dubois also failed to obstruct the police vehicle, and that his actions were “limited”, Mr McNeill said the offence was aggravated by “the background of what was going on”.

Defence barrister Michael Boyd said his client's actions were “pathetic” and that Dubois was “deeply embarrassed and ashamed” by what he did that day.

Noting the footage showed Dubois being “completely ignored by people on both sides of the street” before standing on his own in the middle of the road, Mr Boyd added: “He has spent his life being ignored by others and derided because of his small stature.”

Revealing Dubois had been drinking in the supporters club prior to his offending, Mr Boyd said alcohol played a factor.

He said Dubois was a vulnerable and isolated man who struggles with a range of health issues, including a hearing problem.

After listening to submissions from the Crown and defence, Judge Neil Rafferty KC cited Dubois's offending as an attempt to obstruct “the restoration of law and order”.

Saying it was “unlikely” that the police vehicle would have been stopped by “the frame of Mr Dubois standing alone as no one, but no one, was following his lead”, Judge Rafferty said he “cut a solitary figure standing in the middle of road for approximately a minute”.

He added: “Be that as it may, the reality is that this took place against the backdrop of significant and disgraceful rioting in this city.”

Accepting Dubois had a range of physical and mental health issues and appeared to be “socially isolated”, the judge noted the defendant was “keen to point out that he doesn't hold any of the attitudes associated with the rioting in question”.

After imposing the suspended sentence, the judge warned Dubois of the consequences of further offending in the next two years.

DUP MLA’s claims of Belfast having second highest number of asylum seekers in UK ‘inaccurate’

CONOR COYLE, Irish News, September 12th, 2025

DUP MLA Edwin Poots’ claim that Belfast had the second highest level of asylum seekers in the UK has been called into question after Home Office figures show it to be the 20th.

The South Belfast MLA and assembly speaker made the claim last month in the wake of decisions by some local councils in the north to open enforcement action against hotels housing asylum seekers on behalf of the Home Office.

Complaints were submitted to three local councils by DUP representatives.

In a social media post following a meeting with Mears Group, which provides the majority of accommodation in the north for those seeking asylum in the UK, Mr Poots said “Belfast has just been declared as the second city in terms of migrant accommodation in the UK, and obviously Belfast is not the second largest city in the UK”.

The DUP MLA goes on to claim in a video he was standing in an area “which is absorbing almost 20% of the migrant population in Northern Ireland in one BT code”, referring to BT12 which takes in areas of south Belfast such as Botanic, Sandy Row, South Belfast MLA made claim last month in wake of decisions by some councils to open enforcement action against hotels housing asylum seekers

Donegal Road and stretches to the Falls Road in the west.

19 other local authorities house more asylum seekers

However, as first reported by independent organisation Fact Check NI, latest figures from the Home Office show 19 other local authority areas house more asylum seekers than Belfast does.

Some 2,103 asylum seekers were registered as being accommodated in Belfast as of 30 June 2025.

The most recent Home Office figures show Birmingham, Glasgow and Leeds were among the cities which provided accommodation for more migrants than Belfast via the Supported Asylum scheme and associated schemes for refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan.

Several London boroughs have also been registered as housing more asylum seekers than Belfast.

When the figures are examined in terms of percentage of the population, Belfast is lower down the list in 32nd as asylum seekers make up 0.6% of the population.

That still puts Belfast among the top 10% of the more than 382 local authorities in the UK, but not the second highest as claimed by the assembly speaker.

‘Migrants’ or ‘asylum seekers’?

While Mr Poots referred to “migrants” rather than “asylum seekers”, the DUP MLA later clarified that he was referring to asylum seekers.

There is one specific subcategory of asylum seeker where, by local authority area, Belfast does have the second highest number of asylum seekers. There are 1,707 people housed in “dispersal accommodation”, which refers to accommodation provided to asylum seekers whose claim for asylum support has been agreed.

Those figures do not include those in contingency accommodation such as hotels, those in “initial accommodation” and those housed under resettlement schemes with Ukrainian and Afghan nationals.

Edwin Poots and the DUP were contacted for comment.

Gerry Carroll, People Before Profit MLA for West Belfast which covers the BT12 area referenced by Mr Poots, said politicians needed to be “extremely careful” with their language given recent attacks on migrants and their homes.

“Politicians of all stripes should be focusing their energies on tackling the housing crisis,” he added.

Decisive response needed to  tackle rise in race hate crime

Pro Fide, Pro Patria, Irish News, September 12th, 2025

THE rise in racist attacks across our society is deeply alarming, and has reached a stage which demands an urgent and determined response in a range of different ways from the authorities.

It is particularly important that a firm message is sent to the thugs who openly and viciously targeted migrants in the car park of an east Belfast shopping complex earlier this week.

Video footage of the incidents at Connswater retail park is shocking, and shows dozens of people surrounding vehicles, confronting the occupants and attempting to pull them out.

A witness described how the crowd shouted racist abuse, repeatedly roaring “get them out” as they shook and kicked the cars, and said those inside were plainly terrified during the prolonged ordeal.

“It is particularly important that a firm message is sent to the thugs who openly and viciously targeted migrants in the car park of an east Belfast shopping complex earlier this week

He said he feared the victims were going to be killed, and it was extremely fortunate that both vehicles eventually managed to escape, with great difficulty, before dire consequences followed.

The perpetrators plainly behaved like a lynch mob, and there can only be significant concern that police were in the area but apparently felt unable to immediately intervene.

There have been other recent episodes in the same vicinity, with indications that an organised campaign against delivery drivers who may be from a migrant background has been taking place.

Convicted criminals exploiting situation

It has also been well documented that so-called vigilante groups, who include convicted criminals in their ranks, have been active across east Belfast, stopping and questioning passers-by on the basis of nothing more than the colour of their skin.

This all represents a direct and unmistakeable challenge to the rule of law and order, and it is essential that a comprehensive investigation results in criminal charges before the courts.

There is also a need for unionist politicians to take a much more unequivocal approach to the issue of racist aggression in their own districts than has often been the case.

Some representatives have properly condemned the outrages but others have either said nothing or conflated a legitimate debate over migration with the violent actions of a small number of extremists.

While no section of the community has a monopoly on racist attitudes, all the available evidence indicates that migrants are at more risk in unionist neighbourhoods than anywhere else.

The latest figures from the PSNI demonstrate that race hate crime across the north is running at the highest level since records began, with almost 1,400 offences in the year up to June 2025, an increase of more than 400 in the space of 12 months.

This is an unacceptable trend, and our Stormont leaders, the police and the courts have a responsibility to ensure that it is decisively addressed.

UUP blasts Braverman for playing 'fast and loose' with border poll, pushing for ECHR exit

GARRETT HARGAN, Belfast Telegraph, September 12th, 2025

A UUP peer has hit out at Conservative MP Suella Braverman for playing “fast and loose” with a border poll, as she spoke of being open to a referendum on Irish unity if it meant leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Reform UK has said it would rewrite the Good Friday Agreement to leave the ECHR without the support of Northern Ireland's nationalist parties.

Former Home Secretary Ms Braverman has been a long-term proponent of leaving the ECHR.

She told reporters a future government should be willing to hold a referendum on Northern Ireland leaving the UK if that was necessary to enact her policy.

She said: “If there needs to be a border poll, then the people should have a vote. I think unionists are confident about the position.

“But ultimately, Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. It is not some disjointed, detached outpost subject to its own separate laws. If the UK leaves the European Convention on Human Rights, so must Northern Ireland.”

In response Lord Empey said Ms Braverman “cannot play fast and loose with the conditions negotiated with regard to a border poll.”

He added: “She risks identifying herself with the arguments put forward by Sinn Féin, who will see her comments as grist to their mill.

“If Ms Braverman wants to talk to us about the threshold for calling a border poll, I'm sure we would be happy to have a chat.”

Nationalist politicians have warned leaving the ECHR, which Reform sees as necessary to enact the “mass deportations” it has planned, would breach the Good Friday Agreement.

Yesterday, Reform deputy leader Richard Tice said that the 1998 agreement, which ended 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland, did not prevent the UK leaving the ECHR and could be changed to remove references to the convention.

He told reporters at an event in London: “Parliament has already made changes to the GFA. The idea that it sort of is preserved in aspic and can't be touched and is untouchable, it's just not the case.”

‘The joy of democracy’

Asked whether he would be willing to impose changes over the objections of nationalists, he said: “That's the joy of democracy. And frankly, it would be boring if we all agreed with each other.

“You have discussions, you have debates, and you get to a conclusion but, ultimately, there has to be a belief in our sovereign Parliament.”

Responding to their comments, Cal Roscow of campaign group Best for Britain said: “It's quite tiresome to continuously hear politicians wax lyrical about the Good Friday Agreement when it increasingly sounds as if they have never read it.

“All changes to Northern Ireland's power-sharing settlement have been carried out with the agreement of both nationalists and unionists so what Tice is really proposing here in practice would be the end of the hard won 'cross-community' settlement.”

Mr Roscow added: “Suella Braverman will now have to reconcile herself with the fact that her determination to strip rights from UK citizens has unexpectedly put her on the same side as Gerry Adams.”

Despite appearing alongside Mr Tice at an event hosted by the Prosperity Institute, Ms Braverman was insistent that she was not planning to defect to Reform. She said: “I'm not defecting. I've been elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament.”

Sinn Féin ‘kicking farmers’ over Lough Neagh, says DUP

CONOR SHIELS, Irish News, September 12th, 2025

THE DUP has criticised Sinn Féin after the party described its own previous opposition to a key part of the Lough Neagh Action Plan as “misguided”.

Sinn Féin’s shift came after it supported a motion tabled by the SDLP on Tuesday to support the Nutrients Action Programme (NAP). Sinn Féin reps initially said the NAP could damage agriculture in the north.

However, the party has now dropped its objections and voted in support of the scheme, backing a motion that described their initial opposition as “misguided”.

The motion put forward by the SDLP expressed “regret at the misguided support for a motion calling for a public consultation on the NAP to be withdrawn; and calls on the executive to support all necessary actions aimed at rescuing the UK and Ireland’s largest freshwater lake.”

The NAP is a set of rules designed to prevent water pollution from farms. Environmentalists say that it helps protect rivers, lakes, and wildlife including Lough Neagh from nutrient run off and help restore the lake’s water quality.

However, opponents of the scheme insist that it will cause a financial burden for farmers.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster yesterday morning, the DUP MLA Carla Lockhart accused Sinn Féin of “kicking farmers when they’re down”.

“It’s a bizarre situation where Sinn Féin have really kicked farmers when they’re down and have done a spectacular U-turn,” she said.

“Declan McAleer, their agriculture spokesperson, said back in May this could put many farmers out of business, impacting rural and wider community.

“For me, it sounds like Sinn Féin are being pushed around by what they think is politically expedient, whilst potentially putting farmers out of business.

“I’m standing up for farmers. They put food on our table. They are being made scapegoats for all things Lough Neagh. They are being victimised for all things Lough Neagh.”

As part of a statement released yesterday Sinn Féin MLA, Declan McAleer said: “Sinn Féin want a NAP that is workable, deliverable, and based on just transition principles where farmers and others are supported to reduce pollution.”

Leader of the Opposition, the SDLP’s Matthew O’Toole has backed the party’s change of heart, describing the shift as “welcome”.

“We hope marks the start of a serious reconsideration of their opportunistic rejection of vital action to restore Lough Neagh,” he said.

“For too long, the first minister and others have used photo-ops and warm words to claim a desire to return the lough to health. At the first opportunity they walked away from those pledges. Tonight we confronted them with the hypocrisy of that position and they thankfully U-turned.

“This goes to show the value of a robust and constructive opposition. The onus is now on the executive to follow up with meaningful action to restore our most precious natural resource.”

Sinn Féin-run department says DUP man’s grass-cutting claim ‘not accurate’

JOHN MANLEY POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, Irish News, September 12th, 2025

A DUP councillor and senior Stormont aide’s claim to have secured extra grass cutting on main roads in the Mid & East Antrim Council area is “not accurate”, according to the Sinn Féin-run Department for Infrastructure (DfI).

Peter Johnston, a Carrickfergus representative and special adviser to Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, was recently “thrilled to announce” on social media that a motion he brought to council meant additional grass cutting “across all main arterial routes” throughout the borough.

He claimed it was “a FIRST (his capitals) for any council in Northern Ireland”.

But not only have the councillor’s comments been criticised by a celebrated biodiversity campaigner, they have also been rubbished by the department responsible for roadside grass cutting, which told The Irish News: “There are no plans for additional cuts on arterial routes in any council area.”

Donna Rainey, who in July received an honorary doctorate from Ulster University in recognition of her rewilding work, said Mr Johnston’s attempt to encourage additional cutting was “so detrimental” to biodiversity and that as a public representative he should use his influence “to improve the management of verges without simply reducing them to barren lawns”.

Dr Rainey’s ‘Don’t Mow, Let it Grow’ initiative, which advocates an approach to verge cutting and grasslands that is more sympathetic to biodiversity, has been supported for almost a decade by Causeway Coast and Glens Council, which neighbours Mr Johnston’s own local authority.

In a recent post on Facebook, the DUP representative said: “I’m thrilled to announce that following my notice of motion, DfI contractors will now carry out three extra grass cuts per season across all main arterial routes in our borough!

DUP councillor and Stormont aide Peter Johnston on a freshly mowed central reservation

“This is a first for any council in Northern Ireland, and will definitely enhance the look of our towns and main roads.”

Mr Johnston also said the council was “investing in lawn mowers, strimmers, and other equipment” that could be borrowed by ratepayers who wish to carry out their own public realm maintenance “free of charge”.

But when DfI was asked to confirm the councillor’s claim about extra cuts, a spokesperson said: “This information is not accurate. There are no plans for additional cuts on arterial routes in any council area.”

The spokesperson said DfI policy was that “a single swathe will be cut along the verges on the strategic road network twice per year” and that additional cuts would only be necessary for “road safety reasons”.

“The department is committed to protecting wildlife and promoting biodiversity when managing roadside verges and our approach aims to maintain the right balance between road safety and the control of grass and weeds while achieving a greater focus on environmental protection,” the spokesperson said.

“We have advised Mid & East Antrim Council that we are happy to increase the frequency of grass cutting in urban areas where there are sightlines at bends and junctions for road safety reasons. This is in line with our existing policy.”

Environmentalist ‘dismayed’

Dr Rainey said she had read Mr Johnston’s post “with dismay”.

“I fully understand the need for visibility on our roads and this must be a priority, but excessively mowing verges simply ‘to tidy the place up’ is a very detrimental act,” she said.

“Insect populations have plummeted by 70% in the last 30 years.

“They are the bottom of the food chain and one way or another, we all depend on them – they are crucial for pollinating crops and our native wildflowers. Birds, hedgehogs, amphibians and other wildlife rely on adequate insect populations.”

Councillors call on Justice Minister Naomi Long to do more to tackle East Belfast racist mobs

Anthony Neeson, Belfast Media, September 12th, 2025

TWO East Belfast Councillors, Brian Smyth from the Green Party and Seamas de Faoite from the SDLP,  have compared the racist attack on the occupants of a car at Connswater Retail Park on Monday night to an attempted lynching – and they've called on Justice Minister Naomi Long to do more to tackle the growing issue of vigilante racism.

 Three men were surrounded by a crowd of men who attacked the vehicle, shaking it violently and shouting racial abuse at those inside. Those who attacked the car where videoed kicking the vehicle and banging the windows while shouting racist insults at the occupants. At one point one man was seen throwing an object into the open driver’s door. The driver eventually managed drive the car away from the scene.

 Police have been criticised for not intervening during the terrifying incident.

 Monday’s attack is just the latest racist incident in East Belfast where in recent weeks gangs of men have been harassing and intimidating people from ethnic minority backgrounds.

 Brian Smyth is a Green Party Councillor for Lisnasharragh, which encompasses areas of both the East and South of the city. He traces the increasing racist incidents in East Belfast to last year’s racial violence in parts of the North, which he says has "gone unchecked".

‘Complete Failure’

“There’s been a complete failure of the Stormont Executive, but in particular the Justice Minister," he said. "She has taken five years to implement hate law and hate crime laws. But also there’s been nothing done to challenge the disinformation and the lies from these groups and it’s allowed to go unchecked and I think there’s been a massive failure here from Stormont to deal with this and it has built and it has built and you now have ethnic minorities in inner East Belfast who are terrified and who are frightened for their life.

"But I will say this as well, I have had people from a unionist background, members of the Orange Order, ex-loyalist prisoners contact me and saying they’re horrified by this and they feel let down. This is plain old-fashioned racism and fascism and there is no other way to describe it.

Where is the Justice Minister? This is happening in her constituency.

I have spoken to many in the Inner East in recent days, they are disgusted, but feeling let down by a lack of political response from elected reps in East Belfast.

“I agree with what Seamas said on Twitter, it was an attempt at a racial lynching. It was Mississippi in the fifties.”

Fellow Lisnasharragh Councillor Seamas de Faoite of the SDLP reiterated his uncompromising words about the Connswater mob attack.

 “I’ve said this before in relation to some other incidents when people have been targeted in the streets and where we have had attacks on people’s homes and also with what we have seen in Ballymena," he said, "it is a reflection very sadly of the stuff that we have seen happening in the Deep South (of America). It’s racially motivated, it is going to result in people being seriously injured and potentially someone dying and that means that it has all the hallmarks of a lynching. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.”

Those behind the vigilante groups that have emerged in East Belfast justify their racist activities with the excuse that they are concerned about the protection of women and girls – something that Cllr Smyth finds impossible to believe.

“There are a few main protagonists behind this and who are whipping this up and they need brought to account,” he pointed out. “As we have seen in recent media reports a number of these people have serious significant criminal records for serious harm to women and children, they are the last people you want protecting women and children. They are absolute vermin.”

Where was the PSNI?

While he believes the police are under-resourced, he maintains that they should have intervened on Monday evening.

“The police have to look at what happened the other night and should they have intervened when that car was being attacked? There needs to be questions asked there. But in terms of a resource issue, there is a lack of officers on the ground, and that creates a vacuum. There’s been a political vacuum here from Stormont, the Justice Minister, and it’s leading to what we are seeing on the ground, that police numbers are stretched, they are under-resourced and that these scumbags are allowed to operate with impunity and we’ve seen it reach this crescendo on Monday night.”

 Cllr de Faoite says he is concerned that the message being sent out to people in ethnic minority communities is that "the streets are not safe".

“But also,” he added, “that the people perpetrating this are people who clearly have a record or history of targeting women and vulnerable groups of people but who feel that they can get away with this with impunity.

 “There is a resource issue for policing but there are also things that policing can get right and better. They are not actively monitoring how these vigilante groups are being organised online. We are seeing a significant backlog in terms of cases coming through for prosecution.

“Look at what happened in Britain after the riots last year. You had late night courts, you had expedited sentencing. When there was very clear evidence that people were involved in violence people were put through the justice system pretty quickly and it sent a very strong message of deterrent and whilst there are still protests happening in some parts of England at the moment we are not seeing the groundswell of violence that we are now starting to see in a very regular basis in parts of Belfast.”

The SDLP man said Justice Minister Naomi Long needs to do more.

“Last night (Tuesday) she tweeted four times about a spat in the Assembly chamber over standing orders and said nothing about an attempted lynching in her constituency. Where is the leadership here? Once again another issue has been left to councillors on the ground to deal with. We have no authority in relation to Justice. I sit on the Policing and Community Safety Partnership for East Belfast, we therefore have a good working relationship with the police but the only thing we can do with that vehicle is to challenge the police where we think they are getting things wrong or are not living up to the expectations that the community have. We try to do that. Ultimately, though, the Justice Minister has to stand up.”

Cllr de Faoite said unionist representatives in East Belfast have to show more leadership when it comes to racism.

“Why is unionism continuing to chase Farage down this right wing, racist and xenophobic rabbit hole?” he asked.

“It’s not my job to sell the union, it’s quite the opposite. I want a pluralist and inclusive new Ireland, but if I were a unionist I would be looking at how to build the broadest possible coalition to vote to remain in the union in an eventual referendum, which is coming.

"Instead they are narrowing the parameters of what unionism looks like. And instead that means for those of us who want to argue for constitutional change and to build something new that we have a much broader audience of people who we can speak to and say, we will guarantee your rights in a new Ireland, we will build something that is inclusive, we will reject division and racism and all of the nonsense of the far right and we will do that in a way that makes sure that people feel safe and comfortable in their communities and that’s the right way to do it."