Support For 'Designated Days'

The majority of people living in Northern Ireland would support flying the union flag on designated days as a solution to the current problem, according to a poll carried out on behalf of BBC Newsline.

Polling company Ipsos Mori asked over 1,000 people their opinions on flags, parades and the past at the behest of the BBC.

A third said the union flag should be flown on 18 designated days.

A quarter said it should be up every day, 15% said it should never be flown, while 24% said they had no opinion.

42% of Protestants said it should be flown all year round, compared to just 4% of Catholics.

The poll also considered the public's views on the Parades Commission and found that more people want to keep it than abolish it.

Over a third agreed the Parades Commission should be kept, while less than a quarter favoured its abolition.

Alliance deputy leader Naomi Long welcomed the results.

"The flying of flags is a sensitive issue in a divided society and as we try to resolve it, there are important principles which need to be considered including reflecting the constitutional position, mutual respect and, crucially, building a more united community," she said.

"After last year’s vote by Belfast Council, there was talk by unionists of a legal challenge and suggestions that they would push for the flag to be flown 365 days a year at Councils which are under unionist control and which had, under the same advice, previously opted for a designated days policy. However, one year on, there has been no legal challenge and Councils, such as Lisburn and Craigavon, continue to have designated days as their policy, because those parties know that it is the most legally viable option.

"We want to see the issue of flags resolved across all Councils ahead of the reorganisation of local government, in order that the issue of flags does not become a distraction from the important business they need to address. The current Haass talks provide an opportunity for us to do this comprehensively and the poll makes it clear that if parties are interested in promoting the common good, a solution based on designated days is the most viable way forward."

The BBC Newsline poll comes as Northern Ireland's five main political parties consider draft proposals drawn up by US diplomat Richard Haass on how to deal with flags, parades and the past.

(IT/CD)