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Belfast Telegraph
6 days ago
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
DUP demands Sinn Féin action on republican bonfire while facing ‘hypocrisy' claims over loyalist pyres
This newspaper first reported that a person was hospitalised after an incident at the site in Derry's Meenan Square last week. On Radio Foyle this morning, East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell accused Sinn Féin of being 'in absentia in the past few days'. He said that 'everybody knows every year that this bonfire causes a problem and a series of problems on occasions'. Mr Campbell added that, in previous years, the bonfire has contained offensive items such as poppy wreaths and flags, and that shots have been fired in the vicinity. He said there 'needs to be a statement of intent from Sinn Féin that they intend to work with the police and with the local community in the Bogside to make sure that doesn't happen this year'. Mr Campbell pointed to the close proximity of the unionist Fountain estate as well. It comes after DUP MLA Gary Middleton warned of a 'void of political leadership', saying it is time Sinn Féin 'stepped up and made clear this situation is unacceptable'. He said the bonfire has been 'a source of serious concern for some time, causing disruption, raising safety fears'. However, the SDLP said 'it is a bit rich to hear the DUP call for leadership around bonfires given their failure to deal with these issues in other areas and their refusal to consider any kind of regulation in the past'. The Bogside bonfire is due to be lit in mid-August at the site managed by Apex Housing, with £11m redevelopment plans repeatedly delayed because it cannot find a contractor willing to remove bonfire materials. Construction is not due to begin until next year. The DUP was asked if Mr Middleton or Mr Campbell have condemned loyalist bonfires including the Fountain pyre that contained a sign reading 'Taigs out' beside crosshairs in the run up to the Twelfth. The party has not responded. On Radio Foyle, Mr Campbell was also asked if his position could be viewed as 'hypocritical' as his party opposed the removal of a bonfire in south Belfast which was built on a site containing asbestos and reportedly posed a separate risk to the power supply to local hospitals. He responded by saying DUP councillors worked on the ground to ensure there were no problems and criticised 'hyping in the media'. Watch: Controversial Village bonfire in Belfast goes ahead after council order for removal Addressing criticism, Sinn Féin Foyle MLA Ciara Ferguson said the planned 'anti-community bonfires' in Derry are in stark contrast to the hundreds of positive alternative events taking place in the city this summer. 'There is no place for these bonfires in our society which attract anti-social behaviour, and threaten the health and wellbeing of local residents," she added. 'Their safety must come first. Hundreds of positive events are set to take place right across Derry this August. 'Fantastic work is being done by a wide group of organisations to celebrate art, sport, music, our heritage and culture, while also discussing and debating the important issues of the day. 'Derry is a city bursting with pride and potential. The images portrayed this summer must project a community that is working together to move forward and build a better future. 'We have an incredible story to tell. Let's ensure it continues to be told in the right way.' Last year, Union flags, a King Charles coronation flag, and an Israeli flag were displayed on the pyre along with offensive banners, prompting the PSNI to confirm it was treating the incident as a hate crime. A year previously, police launched an investigation after shots were fired near the site. In 2021, posters placed on the bonfire made reference to former PSNI chief Simon Byrne and murdered Catholic officer Ronan Kerr. Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan said: 'The SDLP's position is clear that we would prefer there to be no bonfires taking place in our city, but the Executive's failure to regulate bonfires means that depressingly, and predictably, communities continue to be challenged by these issues every summer. 'In the absence of an agreed way forward, steps will have to be taken to manage this bonfire safely so that it passes off with minimal harm to our environment and the local community. 'The Executive Office's inability to progress the Meenan Square project is partly why we find ourselves in this situation again and the blame for that cannot be laid at the feet of young people in the Bogside.' Mr Durkan encouraged young people to participate in the many alternative events on offer as he made a direct plea to bonfire organisers 'to refrain from the burning of any flags, symbols or effigies'. "We have seen some sickening displays of hate recently and I really hope that young people here can rise above such activity,' he added. 'The SDLP will continue working with community leaders to make every effort to ensure this bonfire passes off without incident.'
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
BBC cuts made to Radio Foyle to be approved by Ofcom
The communications regulator Ofcom is set to approve cuts to BBC Radio Foyle, already made by the previously found the corporation had breached its operating licence by cutting about 300 hours of news and current affairs on Radio UK's communications regulator had called the breach "a potentially serious matter".The BBC has now formally applied to the regulator to amend its operating licence to reflect changes it made to Radio Foyle's output. What changes did the BBC make to Radio Foyle? In 2023, the BBC cut its two-hour breakfast show on Radio Foyle down to 30 minutes in a number of schedule and programme made the move as part of a decision to invest more in BBC Northern Ireland's online and digital services, including BBC the cuts led to a number of early 2024, the programme - called North West Today - was extended to an hour each weekday from 08:00 to 09:00. How did the cuts breach the BBC's operating licence? Under the terms of its operating licence, the BBC was required to deliver 1,043 hours of news and current affairs on Radio Foyle every the cuts to Radio Foyle's output meant it only broadcast 651 hours of news and current affairs on the station in 2023/ led to Ofcom ruling the BBC had breached a condition of its operating to Ofcom, the BBC told the regulator the mistake was due to an "internal miscommunication", which meant programmes broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster were mistakenly included when calculating its output for Radio BBC has now submitted a formal request to Ofcom to reduce its news and current affairs quota for BBC Radio Foyle from 1,043 hours to 710 hours each financial to documents published by the regulator, the BBC has said the changes it has already made have benefitted audiences."Following the changes, the BBC states that on average, it broadcast 1.1 more local stories per hour on North West Today than it did on Breakfast on Foyle," the documents state."It also broadcast more stories overall per hour on North West Today compared with Breakfast on Foyle."The BBC also said the changes had "improved its online offering" and had improved coverage of the north-west on the BBC News NI corporation said that in 2024/25 it had published 449 stories from Foyle on BBC News NI, a rise of 15% in two to Ofcom, about two-thirds of people in Northern Ireland get their news online and/or from TV, while fewer than half (46%) get their news from radio and social media. What will Ofcom do now? Ofcom is now consulting on changing the BBC's operating licence to reflect the changes to Radio Foyle, but the regulator said that "we propose, subject to consultation, to agree to the BBC's request".The regulator said it considered the changes would have "a neutral to positive impact on audiences"."In respect of the BBC Radio Foyle proposals, we note that the changes the BBC has made have already led to increases in the number of stories about the north-west of Northern Ireland on the service," Ofcom said."We consider that the BBC delivering more local news content online, whilst at the same time delivering focused local news on BBC Radio Foyle, has the potential to benefit audiences and may help promote good relations between people from different communities."However, Ofcom is currently consulting on its approval of the BBC's changes to Radio Foyle - and the Asian Network - and is seeking views from the public until 26 June.
