Council to Reconsider Bobby Sands Statue Enforcement
Belfast City Council has announced it will "reconsider" its earlier decision to close a planning enforcement investigation concerning a statue of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands.
The statue was installed last year on public land in the Twinbrook area of west Belfast without obtaining planning permission.
Councillors convened a special meeting on Thursday evening to discuss the matter following officials' recommendation that it was "not considered expedient to take any further action" regarding the statue.
A motion from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), condemning the statue and requesting the outcome be "reconsidered," was supported by 27 councillors. Meanwhile, 22 councillors voted against the motion, and three abstained.
Sinn Féin proposed an amendment seeking a review of the "current enforcement status of all such structures" throughout the council area; however, this amendment was unsuccessful.
Background on Bobby Sands and the Statue
Bobby Sands died at age 27 during the 1981 hunger strike, in which ten republican paramilitary prisoners starved themselves to death. The protest aimed to secure recognition as political prisoners during Northern Ireland's Troubles, a period marked by violent conflict.
The statue of Sands, a former Member of Parliament, was unveiled last year beside an Irish republican memorial garden.
First Minister Michelle O'Neill and other Sinn Féin representatives attended the unveiling ceremony. O'Neill described the statue as a "powerful tribute" and defended her attendance after receiving criticism from the DUP.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) later stated that the statue had been placed on its land "without our permission or knowledge." The council conducted an investigation "in line with our planning enforcement strategy" and concluded that it was "not considered expedient to take any further action."
The Bobby Sands Trust clarified last year that it "was not involved" in the statue plans but expressed doubt that anyone locally would object to it.
In a recent statement to the BBC's Nolan Show, the trust's secretary Danny Morrison criticized unionist parties, stating that "the hypocrisy is astonishing." Morrison, a former Sinn Féin director of publicity, also condemned the Social Democratic and Labour Party's (SDLP) abstention from the vote, accusing them of "supporting unionists" and describing their actions as "cowardly and craven."
Council Debate and Reactions
During the Belfast City Hall meeting on Thursday, DUP councillor Dean McCullough emphasized that his party's motion was about "equality." He criticized the decision to close the planning investigation, saying it "strikes at the very heart of public confidence in this council."
"The public want to know that the same rules apply to everyone," he added.
Sinn Féin councillor Ciaran Beattie argued that memorial sites lacking planning permission were "predominantly in unionist areas." He warned that if DUP councillors "want to start removing memorials in this city, then the unionist and loyalist community will be impacted the most."
"People should be allowed to remember their dead in a respectful way," Beattie said.
Beattie's party proposal for a comprehensive review of memorials and murals across the city was defeated by 27 votes to 23.
'A Process That Applies to Everybody Equally'
The DUP motion received support from other unionist parties and councillors from the Alliance Party. Alliance group leader Michael Long stressed the importance of a "consistent application" of the planning process.
"We want a process that applies to everybody and applies to everybody equally," Long stated.
An amendment from the SDLP was also defeated. This amendment called for Stormont executive ministers to "recommit" to proposals made by the Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition.
SDLP councillor Séamas de Faoite remarked,
"We're still stuck in a position where none of that appears to have moved forward."
'Distraction Politics'
Councillors from smaller parties abstained on both the DUP and Sinn Féin proposals. Green Party councillor Áine Groogan described the debate as "distraction politics," accusing the larger parties of "failing to deal with any of the major issues."
During the meeting, council chief executive John Walsh strongly criticized remarks directed at planning officials.
"The issue of legacy is a difficult one but it is not appropriate that we throw officers into the middle of that," he added.
