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Absolutely. The Member for East Antrim makes an excellent point. I know that she loves to have data when looking at legislation, policies and strategies. Can the Bill sponsor provide data on what Ms Brownlee has mentioned? I think that her suggestion would be a better solution than implementing legislation that will…
I thank the Member for giving way. The Bill sponsor raised the point that she knows the areas that are challenging; she seems to know where they are. Would it not be better to find out where those areas are, underpin that knowledge with data, bring in the communities, engage with them and try to sort this out from a…
Mr Gaston, unfortunately, was not in the Chamber when I dealt with that point. I know that he will watch back my contribution on the point that I made. I touched on places of worship, church services and the fact that churches could fall victim to the Bill. I am sure that he will watch back my contribution on that.
Thank you very much. The Bill sponsor says that it is about certain areas, but the Bill is so wide-ranging, covering: "(b) a shared communal place, (c) an interface area, (d) a new housing development, or (e) a place of worship." I absolutely believe that the Bill sponsor is, to use the phrase that Mr Frew coined, not…
I thank the Member for giving way: she has been generous with her time today. In my opening remarks, I said that there were great protocols in some areas. A lot of people are responsible with their flags. My Bill is about tackling the areas where there is not good community dialogue and a community does not know who…
I thank the Member for giving way. Think of the richness of that community engagement, with communities talking to one another and to their elected representatives. Think of the cost to the Department for Infrastructure of having to set up a new division to concentrate on flags. We have DFI Roads for potholes and the…
I thank the Member for giving way. I want to put the emphasis on community engagement. Every year, without fail, I get a telephone call from the organiser of a major competition in my area to engage with people who put flags up about taking them down for the tournament. Every year, I go to a councillor; every year,…
I thank the Member for his lengthy contribution, and he is absolutely and fundamentally right on that point. We have all had conversations. As the Member for South Antrim Mr Clarke said, we have all engaged with the police on flags and emblems in our constituencies, so it is important that we do not allow to go out…
I thank the Member for giving way. The Member talks easily about paramilitary flags and flags that are clearly offensive. The reality, however, is that the emails that we get from constituents are not always about paramilitary flags; they are about flags, including national flags, that are in more of a grey area. What…
I just want to come back on that point. I would hazard a guess that most Members have had a phone call from the police for a conversation about flags. I would be shocked and surprised if that was not the case. I have received such phone calls in my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, and I am sure that many…
On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. During Mr Clarke's intervention, the Bill sponsor stood to try to speak over him, and when she realised that she could not do that, she made a point of order and continued to give a contribution instead. Is that appropriate?
He is saying that I am wrong, so let me correct the record. There were 604 requests made over the past four years for advice from the police on what would happen if flags were taken down. Off the back of those requests, no flags came down. There may have been instances of local accommodation, but I am talking about…
On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I received information as part of a freedom of information request. I am happy to lay it in the Library for anybody to see it.
I thank the Member for giving way. This typifies the attitude of the Bill sponsor: "Take my Bill. Adopt my Bill. Over to you, guv; here's the problem". The Member said that there have been 605 interactions with the police in the past 12 months. She said that none of those resulted in flags coming down. I am afraid to…
I very clearly outlined at the start of my contribution that I do not side with anybody who puts up flags that are of a paramilitary/terrorist nature. I do not side with those people.
I am saying that the so-called community representatives who threaten and say, "We'll stir up civil disobedience", or whatever term you want to use, have the veto. When, on the advice of the PSNI, the Department decides not to remove flags, it is because unelected people in the shadows have said, "If they come down,…
I have just outlined my concerns for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, where republican flags are flying. I am not siding with that community, and I do not have a veto over it. Who are the people over whom the Bill's sponsor is saying these Benches have a veto? Where is the veto coming from?