Lyttle calls for removal of flag outside Armagh church

East Belfast MLA Mr Lyttle added while it was welcome to hear Danny Kennedy echo his call for the removal of the Irish tricolour on a lamppost outside a Presbyterian church in Keady, the UUP representative had failed to act against flags on street furniture while Regional Development Minister.

“A deliberate act of provocation such as this must be condemned and I call for the immediate removal of this flag from the lamppost,” said Mr Lyttle.

“The unofficial display of flags is often used to mark territory and raise tensions, meaning public space is not truly shared. There is clearly a need for a clear, transparent framework for dealing with the unofficial display of flags, which is what Alliance has tried to do with our recent consultation into the matter.

“I also welcome Danny Kennedy’s comments condemning this erection of flags but would ask him where was this approach when he was Regional Development Minister, when he had responsibility for street furniture. Doing nothing is no longer an option.”