The Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, will take reserved powers to order the flying of the Union flag over government buildings in Northern Ireland on specified days, it was confirmed yesterday.
The Executive and Assembly have failed to reach a consensus on the issue, and under draft regulations to be debated in the House of Commons today provision is made that the Union flag shall be flown over seven government buildings and departmental headquarters on 17 specified days, including Queen Elizabeth's birthday.
The two Sinn Fein ministers in the Executive, Mr Martin McGuinness and Ms Bairbre de Brun, refuse to fly the flag over their departmental offices. The regulations do not place responsibility on individuals or ministers to fly the flag, but the regulations will cover Castle Buildings where Ms de Brun has her office and Rathgael House, where Mr McGuinness has his office.
Mr Mandelson had indicated earlier this year he would assume the reserved powers if the Executive could not resolve the issue.
Sinn Fein described Mr Mandelson's consultation with local politicians on the flags issue as "entirely bogus" and said it would now seek legal advice. The party's chief whip, Mr Alex Maskey, insisted Mr Mandelson had always intended to introduce the regulations as a concession to Ulster Unionists.