PLANS to install a Centenary Stone at Stormont marking 100 years since the creation of Northern Ireland have been given the go-ahead.
The initiative was first proposed by unionist parties in the North in 2021 - the year which marked 100 years since the partition of Ireland saw the creation of the Northern Irish state.
Sinn Féin MLA John O'Dowd blocked the initial request at the Assembly Commission, the body which manages Stormont.
However Mr O’Dowd stepped down from the Commission last year, after being appointed Infrastructure Minister, and Sinn Féin has been unable to nominate a replacement to the body, due to the collapse of the Northern Ireland Assembly in February 2022.
The Commission, chaired by Assembly Speaker Alex Maskey, consists of representatives of the five largest parties.
On February 15, the Speaker wrote to the DUP’s Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, UUP leader Doug Beattie and TUV leader Jim Allister to confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission had now approved the Centenary Stone being placed at Stormont.
The proposed Centenary Stone, which will be installed at StormontThe DUP, UUP and TUV Leaders welcomed the news this week, in a joint statement.
”We are pleased that, though belatedly, the Northern Ireland Centenary will be marked permanently in the curtilage of Parliament Buildings by a Centenary Stone,” they said.
“It was over two years ago that the Assembly Commission refused a collective request from the leaderships of our parties to erect such a commemorative stone, causing great hurt to the unionist community.
“Earlier this month we renewed our request to the Assembly Commission. This time they have given approval, which is most welcome,” they added.
The stone, which will be in the shape of a map of Northern Ireland, mounted on a Portland stone plinth, will be sited on a raised area to the west of Parliament Buildings at Stormont.
It will be paid for by unionist MLAs.
“Our only regret is that Sinn Fein blocked the proposal when first made, but this time they were unable to do so,” the unionist leaders claimed, before adding: “We will give details in due course of the public unveiling of the stone.”
