Ulster Unionist MLA Alastair Patterson has accused the DUP of acting farcically after they used a Petition of Concern to block the introduction of a series of safeguards designed to protect minority communities across Local Government areas.

The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA said:

“Following the major transfer of new powers to Local Government in 2014 it is absolutely essential that these additional responsibilities are exercised sensibly and with great care. Whilst I am regularly impressed with the calibre of people sitting on local councils, I have been deeply disappointed that there have already been several examples of wholly inappropriate and offensive decisions being taken indifferent to the impact on local community relations. These include a decision by Mid Ulster Council to callously ban the sale of remembrance poppies and Newry, Mourne and Down Council enforcing an Irish language first policy.

“The 2014 Local Government Act foresaw that there would be difficulties across some of our new Council areas so it rightly suggested a series of safeguards, such as the ability to ‘call-in’ a decision to be reconsidered and for the requirement of some decisions to be made on a qualified majority vote if it appeared one community over another was adversely affected.

“I was astonished however that the DUP had the bare audacity to use and abuse a Petition of Concern, a mechanism originally created to protect communities equally, to block the Environment Minister from making these additional safeguards mandatory across local councils.

“The DUP will need to explain to the minority communities in Northern Ireland, such as the Unionists in the Sinn Fein dominated Fermanagh and Omagh Council, why they thought these protections were not necessary. The DUP in their typically selfish and egotistical attitude refused to let the issue be decided upon by a democratic vote, cowardly opting instead to petition it. Had they not done so the safeguards would have been enshrined in law as the Assembly voted on Monday evening with 48 votes in favour compared to just 33 against.”