Debate contribution: Display of Flags and Emblems Bill: Second Stage
Debate contribution by Mr David Brooks on .
- MLA
- Mr David Brooks
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 22 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Display of Flags and Emblems Bill: Second Stage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5739811
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for giving way. Earlier in the debate, I talked about flags of a loyalist nature. I gave the example of the historical UVF flag and that of the modern-day paramilitary group and spoke about how dates can be used to cloud the waters. Does the Member agree that, on the republican side, the flags that go up for a commemoration of the hunger strikes or some other kind of IRA commemoration are the tricolour, which is the national flag of the Irish Republic, and the Starry Plough, which, as I have said previously, has socialist connotations. It is therefore not always clear what the purpose of a flag is and whether its display can be interpreted in the context of the commemoration that is taking place. It can be argued both ways.
136 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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