Alliance Lisburn Council Group Leader Cllr Brian Dornan has welcomed the decision to withdraw the proposal by the DUP for the Orange Order to be given the freedom of the City of Lisburn. The proposal would have needed a majority of two thirds, but 40% of the Councillors have come out in opposition to it.
Cllr Brian Dornan said: “I welcome the decision to withdraw this proposal. I believe the suggestion to grant the freedom of the City of Lisburn to the Orange Order was just not justifiable.
“The Orange Order does not have cross community support, so I do not think it would have been correct to have granted it with such a high civic honour. When so many families are finding it hard to get through this difficult economic period we should not be dealing with issues such as this.
“We were consulted about this issue in confidence in May this year and we made it clear that we believed it was inappropriate and divisive and so would oppose it. We have been consistent in our opposition to it and I am glad that it is not going any further.”
ENDS