Council refuses St Pat's funding

Thousands attended last year's event in Belfast

Belfast City Council has voted not to grant £30,000 to help fund this year's St Patrick's Day parade in the city.

Councillors have decided not to overturn an earlier decision to refuse grant aid to the parade organisers.

Unionist councillors said that while efforts were being made to make the event more inclusive, not enough was done for the council to endorse it.

One of the organisers, Conor Maskey, said they had done all they could to make sure no offence was caused.

"We as a committee designed an official logo, a multi-coloured shamrock, which would not be offensive to anybody," he said.

"We tried to look at all the issues relating to St Patrick's Day. This might not have been good enough for some people."

Event

However, Ulster Unionist councillor Chris McGimpsey said the event was not yet inclusive enough.

"They have yet to prove that they can produce an all-inclusive carnival which would be supported by and could be bought into by both sections of our community," he said.

"Until that happens, I don't think we are in a position to formally fund the St Patrick's Day carnival.

"It happens anyway, but they are looking for us to fund it and endorse it, and we cannot yet do that."

After Monday's council meeting, Sinn Fein and the SDLP said the parade should be funded.

They were supported by Progressive Unionist Party member Billy Hutchinson. He said councillors should consider the efforts the parade committee was making and attempt to build on them.