Sinn Fein lose flag challenge
A High Court judge in Belfast today dismissed a bid by Sinn Fein to prevent the flying of the British Union Jack Flag on certain days outside public buildings in the North.
Sinn Fein mounted a legal challenge to the Flags Order introduced by the then Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson in November 2000 allowing the flag to be flown on 17 designated days.
The party argued that the order was contrary to the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement and discriminated against nationalists.
The order was introduced after Sinn Fein ministers Bairbre de Brun and Martin McGuinness refused to allow the flag to fly over their department unless the Irish tricolour was flown alongside.
Mr Justice Kerr in his judgment today said that Mr Mandelson had acted lawfully and rejected the argument of Sinn Fein's counsel Seamus Tracey QC that the Secretary of State had struck a secret deal with Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble.
