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16/03/2007
Monument breaches equality regulations
Omagh District Council has breached its own equality scheme according to the Northern Ireland Equality Commission.
The commission investigated a complaint regarding the memorial of IRA hunger strikers, after a Dromore resident complained about the monument on the Old Dromore Church and graveyard.
It consists of a flagpole and Irish tricolour and it is believed this may mark the area as republican.
Ten trees are also included, one for each hunger striker who gave their lives.
The commission stated: “The political nature of the memorial, and its high level of visibility on a site that is synonymous with Dromore, may have the effect of marking the village out as being nationalist or republican.”
Bob Collins, Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission said: “The purpose of the equality schemes, which all public bodies are required to adopt, is to ensure that the equality implications of any policy are fully considered.”
He also stated a proper equality analysis of the proposed disposal of land should be carried out.
It should “consider the equality and good relations implications of the policy which allowed the memorial to remain on site for the previous four years, and any proposed policies, including the sale of the property, which would permit the memorial to remain there,” he said.
The commission also said the council should look closely at any proposed policies that would allow the memorial to remain on the site in the future.
(JM/SP)
The commission investigated a complaint regarding the memorial of IRA hunger strikers, after a Dromore resident complained about the monument on the Old Dromore Church and graveyard.
It consists of a flagpole and Irish tricolour and it is believed this may mark the area as republican.
Ten trees are also included, one for each hunger striker who gave their lives.
The commission stated: “The political nature of the memorial, and its high level of visibility on a site that is synonymous with Dromore, may have the effect of marking the village out as being nationalist or republican.”
Bob Collins, Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission said: “The purpose of the equality schemes, which all public bodies are required to adopt, is to ensure that the equality implications of any policy are fully considered.”
He also stated a proper equality analysis of the proposed disposal of land should be carried out.
It should “consider the equality and good relations implications of the policy which allowed the memorial to remain on site for the previous four years, and any proposed policies, including the sale of the property, which would permit the memorial to remain there,” he said.
The commission also said the council should look closely at any proposed policies that would allow the memorial to remain on the site in the future.
(JM/SP)
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