It includes a note from the executive secretariat which said there had been discussion at the previous executive meeting on January 11 about the flying of the Union flag from official buildings. The legal advice from Denis McCartney from the departmental solicitors’ office said he had “not been able to find any statutory provision relating to the flying of the Union flag”. He said research going back to 1927 indicated “it would appear that the flying of the Union flag was regarded as a prerogative matter”. But the lawyer added: “Whatever the status of this command in Great Britain, it is drafted in terms which disregard the constitutional arrangements for Northern Ireland. Later in the month the powersharing executive was suspended by then Northern Ireland secretary Peter Mandelson due to a lack of progress on IRA decommissioning.

Source: The Herald December 30, 2025 00:18 UTC