An Independent Dublin City Councillor has welcomed the decision by the Council not to remove Tricolours erected by local people in communities around the city – which he says are seen as expression of pride and belief in Ireland.
Cllr Malachy Steenson was speaking to Gript after it was reported this morning that Dublin City Council “decided it will not remove the hundreds of Tricolours erected by anti-immigration groups around the capital and will instead launch initiatives to “promote a deeper understanding of the Irish flag”.”
He said that he welcomed what he described as a “sensible decision” by the Council, adding that it was his belief that if the authorities had moved to remove the flags, they would be replaced in greater numbers.
“This push largely comes from people who despise the Irish nation,” the north inner city councillor said, “whereas those who are erecting the Tricolour are expressing their pride and belief in Ireland.”
“I reject claims that threats were being made to Dublin City Council personnel – the only threat is that if the tricolours were taken down from every second pole, where they are right now, they would be replaced and put up on every pole.”
Previously, Labour Councillor for Dublin South Central, Darragh Moriarty, wrote to the Council’s Chief Executive, asking the local authority what action it was going to take against what he described as the “weaponisation of the tricolour by far-right and malicious agitators who seek to use our flag as a means to intimidate”.
He said that this was an “attempted capture of our flag for hateful intent” and “must be faced head on by the country’s largest local authority”.
In response, Cllr Steenson told RTÉ at the time “that any councillors who do not want the tricolour hung in their area and who feel intimidated by it should ‘find another country to go to’.”
Speaking today, he said that the “massive marches” held in opposition to the government’s handling of immigration were “a sea of tricolours” because patriotism was important to people and communities wanted to show pride in the nation’s flag.
“Irish people have taken the flag back – the nation has taken its flag back from the State,” he said. “It would have been completely unacceptable for the council to remove the national flag, and would have been rightly seen as an attack on our flag and our nation.”
He said that the erection of the Tricolour was often an expression of defiance against the Government because of public anger at housing, health and the cost of living in addition to an expression of national pride. “If people don’t like seeing the Tricolour flown, they should live elsewhere,” he added.
A Dublin City Council spokeswoman told the Irish Times today that: “Dublin City Council has engaged with stakeholders and reviewed the factors and risks associated with the ongoing issue of flags on public lighting poles”.
“Following this, the council has concluded that removing such flags at this time would be counterproductive.”
The council will instead “take a positive and proactive approach” that “celebrates our collective sense of belonging to this city”, the spokeswoman added, saying the te council will work with local communities to “promote a deeper understanding of the Irish flag – its history, its meaning, and its enduring message of inclusion, equality and respect”.
“The Irish flag is a unifying symbol for all who call Dublin home. It represents peace, togetherness and the shared responsibility we each have in building an inclusive and welcoming city.”
While there will be no large-scale removal of Tricolours, any flags that create “a hazard or risk to public safety” will be removed during the normal course of council operations, she said.
“Dublin is a city for everyone – a city where community, respect and belonging remain at the heart of all we do.”