Unionist councillors have expressed outrage at a £6,000 bill for an equality impact assessment of an Orange Order commemoration in Bangor for members who died in the Troubles.
Ards and North Down Borough Council has received a request from the Bangor District Loyal Orange Lodge 18 to hold an Orange Order Victims’ Day service of commemoration at the Ward Park Cenotaph on Sunday, September 7 this year.
The council says it will be a religious service at the cenotaph to commemorate the lives of all Orangemen and women lost during the Troubles.
Between 50 to 100 people are expected to attend, with members of the district lodge and a band.
However the expected budget of up to £6,000 for the resulting EQIA, or equality impact assessment, which the council is legally obliged to conduct, caused uproar at a council committee meeting this week.
A report for the council’s March Corporate Services Committee states: “Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (the Act) requires public authorities, in carrying out their functions relating to Northern Ireland, to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity and regard to the desirability of promoting good relations across a range of nine categories outlined in the Act.
“Public consultation will include an online questionnaire, which will be available through the council’s Citizen Space portal; alternative paper copies and alternative languages (will be available).
“(It is recommended) that for an EQIA, public authorities allow a minimum consultation period of 12 weeks.
“The council will engage with affected individuals and representative groups to identify how best to consult or engage with them, and will ask consultees what their preferred consultation methods are and will give consideration to these.”
It adds: “It is recommended that by using an independent external facilitator the council can ensure impartiality.
“This will include each of the seven steps of the EQIA along with the 12-week public consultation. The cost for this EQIA exercise will be approximately £6,000.”
The screening form for the event states: “The lands request may benefit some of the Protestant community and those who associate with the Orange Institution.
“This may negatively impact the Catholic community as the request mentions Orangemen/women victims only.
“The Equality Commission NI recommends that public bodies have a responsibility to use their authority and considerable influence to contribute to the creation of a shared society in which everyone feels not only physically safe, but also safe in their beliefs and opinions.”
It adds: “The day may highlight the existing divisions between unionists (predominantly Protestant) and nationalists (predominantly Catholic).
“It can serve to reinforce political identities and deepen divisions between these groups, as it is linked with the commemoration of those within the Orange Institution who died in conflicts related to the Troubles.”
It states: “For many unionists and those associated with the Orange Institution, Orange Victims Day is a day when the Orange family pauses to remember those who were so suddenly and violently taken from them.
“Celebrating this day can strengthen a sense of belonging and solidarity among those who identify with unionist politics.
“Conversely, nationalists may view the celebration as exclusionary, leading to further entrenchment of opposing identities.”
At the Corporate Services Committee meeting this week, a council officer said: “This is a brand new event that hasn’t been held before, and the rationale for it being screened is outlined.
“The £6,000 is an estimate, but if you think of what is involved in an EQIA, advertising, taking space in newspapers, hiring venues, collating information, analysis of data, preparation of reports.
“We have viewed the best way of conducting that as getting someone in externally, particularly someone of expertise who has run EQIAs before, and who has experience of running EQIAs for this council before.”
UUP councillor Philip Smith said: “It seems we have a sledgehammer here to crack a nut; £6,000 for a religious service where a hundred people might attend for an hour.
“I get that there is a process we have to adhere to, and it is outside our control, but this would seem a bit mad to most people who would ask why are we spending this amount of money on something so straightforward, and for many people uncontentious.
“I would question the results of the screening, when it talks about a “major impact” – again, I am not sure whether something like this would be determined as major.”
He added: “The screening process is highly subjective in determining impact. But I accept the logic even if I don’t agree with it.”
Councillor Philip Smith
DUP councillor Stephen McIlveen said: “I disagree with the comment in the report that simply because this is commemorating the innocent victims of the Troubles who belonged to the Orange institution, that this will have a negative impact on the catholic community.
“I don’t see what impact it could have – it would be a neutral impact.
“It would be different if you had an organisation that was celebrating the deaths of Catholics — that would have a negative impact — but somebody commemorating innocent victims surely cannot have a negative impact on that community, unless the implication is that that community takes issue with people who have died in that way, which obviously is complete nonsense.
“I can’t accept the definition and the rationale, as to why this has been screened in. I don’t understand the justification for saying there is a negative impact. I don’t think therefore the spend of £6,000 is justified.”
He said he found it “personally offensive”.
Alliance councillor Martin McRandal said: “Alliance supports this event taking place.
“Acknowledging and addressing the suffering of victims and survivors should be a cornerstone of our collective approach to dealing with the past.
“Opportunities to remember the innocent lives lost during the Troubles is an important part of Northern Ireland’s ongoing journey of reconciliation and peace building.
“The council and other public bodies have a duty to uphold equality requirements set out under legislation, and these equality requirements exist to protect everyone.”
News Catch Up – Wednesday 12 March