Donegal County Council has been asked to create a policy on the erection of flags in local towns and villages.
Palestinian flags in both Buncrana and Killybegs have caused disagreements within communities, the council was told today.
In Buncrana in particular, Independent Cllr Nicholas Crossan said the flags are “intimidating” for some.
He asked the council to take down all unauthorised flags from lamposts and poles owned by the local authority.
Cllr Crossan told the council: “There are business people who have said they don’t want them outside their doors and there are elderly people who feel intimidated.
“Tensions are so high in Buncrana at this present minute in time it’s like a ticking bomb.”
Cllr Crossan said the flags also pose a safety risk, saying “Some of them are held up with 2×2 wood, if that fell off and hit somebody, who is responsible for it?”
Cllr Niamh Kennedy (Independent) said there was an “astonishing” amount of people who took offence to flags flown at the Killybegs shorefront recently. Two have since been taken down.
“Nobody condones war, everyone wants peace, but I think sometimes by putting these flags up, it can incite hatred and it puts everybody against everybody else,” Cllr Kennedy said.
“If someone wants to raise a flag they are quite entitled to do so on their own property or office, but to put it up in a public space or on a council property may not be the right thing to do.”
The concerns were raised during a motion put forward by Sinn Féin Cllr Terry Crossan asking the council to raise the flag of Palestine at Public Services Centres in Donegal on Wednesday 29th November, the annual United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Cllr Jack Murray (Sinn Féin) backed the motion, saying that Donegal has a twinning arrangement with Bani Ziad in rural Palestine.
“I think it would be fitting and appropriate to send that support to a region that we are diplomatically tied to,” Cllr Murray said, saying that the request arose from a recent day of solidarity in Buncrana for the people of Palestine.
Cllr Crossan’s motion was passed. Following the agreement, Cllr Nicholas Crossan sought a commitment from Donegal County Council that all flags be removed off council property to alleviate the ‘concerns’ of businesspeople in Buncrana
Bryan Cannon, Director of Roads, said that the roads section has had a few interactions in relation to flags in the town.
A number of separate issues exist, Mr Cannon said, and the roads section has been monitoring Buncrana’s official flag poles at the roundabout entering the town near the Inishowen Gateway Hotel.
Mr Cannon pointed out there are Palestinian flags on lighting columns in various locations in the town. He said: “Our position is to find out who erected them, and we haven’t been able to identify them or moved to remove them as of yet. There is no council policy in relation to the erection of material on lighting columns as such.”
Cllr Crossan said there are approximately 20 CCTV cameras on the main street of Buncrana which could be viewed to identify who is erecting the flags.
“The tension is high in Buncrana this last two months, there is friction and this is adding to it,” Cllr Crossan said.
“I am asking the executive to take a position, prior to the policy being made, to remove all the flags and then you’re not offending anybody.”
Cllr Gerry McMonagle (Sinn Féin) agreed that there should be a policy for people to express their opinions in a peaceful manner. He added that the GAA communities often put up flags and bunting, as well as festival organisers and that a policy would be welcomed for all.
“Let’s not try and raise tension by raising something that isn’t an issue as such, let’s bring in a policy and discuss it,” he said.
Cllr Crossan said the simple solution is to only allow flags to be raised with permission. He said:”Those flags are hanging on our (council) property, people are offended by them. Maybe some people like to see them, obviously, some people put them up, but people are offended by them and businesses are offended by them. Please take them down.”
Chief executive of Donegal County Council, John McLaughlin acknowledged that flags are a divisive issue. Mr McLaughlin said that the executive has no “magic wand” to write the policy and that a subgroup could help the process, with input from the community and gardaí to achieve a balance.
