MEP urges Minister to act against illegal IRA monument
14 January 2009
Jim Allister MEP has written to Planning Minister Sammy Wilson, urging him to act to remove an illegal IRA monument in Dromore.
The MEP said,
“Omagh District Council has thus far failed to carry out an equality impact assessment on its proposal to dispose of Council owned land to Dromore Memorial Committee, on which this illegal memorial is situated. This is in direct contradiction to Equality Commission guidelines, and has recently prompted the Commission to refer the matter to the Secretary of State.”
“I have written to the Minister responsible for Local Government, Sammy Wilson, urging him to make Omagh District Council accountable for its failure to adhere to due process in respect of its equality responsibilities. Furthermore, as Planning Minister, Sammy Wilson has a duty to ensure instances of unlawful development are fully investigated, with appropriate enforcement action taken where appropriate. While I understand an enforcement case against this monument has now been opened by Planning Service, I am appalled that it has taken until my recent intervention for this to be so. Furthermore, I have also raised this matter with the Chief Local Government Auditor.”
“A crack-down against the many offensive monuments erected by Republicans, which serve to glorify the acts of terror perpetrated by their dead, is long overdue”.
ENDS
