A 'void of political leadership' over Derry bonfire, DUP says

The scene of the controversial bonfire at Meenan Square in the Bogside

There is "a void of political leadership" over plans for a republican bonfire on private land in Londonderry, a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) assembly member has said.

Last week, a man needed hospital treatment after he fell from the bonfire which is under construction at Meenan Square in the Bogside.

The site is managed by Apex Housing, which has delayed work on an £11m development because it cannot find a contractor willing to remove bonfire materials.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, Sinn Féin's Ciara Ferguson said there is "no place for these bonfires in our society, which attract anti-social behaviour and threaten the health and well-being of local residents".

The DUP MLA Gary Middleton says the Bogside bonfire is stalling a multi-million-pound development

Speaking earlier on Tuesday, DUP assembly member Gary Middleton had accused Sinn Féin of a "deafening" silence in the Bogside over the bonfire, which has sparked controversy in recent years.

Last year, police said they were treating the display of flags and banners - including union flags, a King Charles coronation flag and the flag of Israel - on the bonfire in the Bogside as a hate crime.

In 2022, police investigated shots being fired near the site and in 2021 posters placed on the bonfire referenced former Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable Simon Byrne and another the murder of Catholic police officer Ronan Kerr.

"This bonfire has been a source of serious concern for some time, causing disruption, raising safety fears and delaying an £11 million publicly-funded redevelopment project," Middleton said.

"That investment is being stalled because not a single contractor is willing to go near the site to remove materials, citing threats and safety risks.

"It is time they [Sinn Féin] stepped up and made clear this situation is unacceptable."

'Hundreds of positive events'

In response, 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 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."

Injured man transferred to Belfast hospital

Last Wednesday evening, a man was seriously hurt after falling from the bonfire.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) confirmed that a man was taken to hospital.

The injured man was treated for undisclosed injuries at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry, before being transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

Apex Housing has declined to comment but previously said it was continuing to re-secure boundary fencing and gates following repeated incidents of "forced entry" at the site.

The £11m development will include social housing, community services, retail, commercial and office space.

Pallets are stored on private land in the Bogside weeks before a bonfire is due to be lit in mid-August

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) said it had isolated an underground cable near the site because of the potential risk of damage from the fire.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it was committed to working with partners, including local councils and community representatives, to address community safety issues linked to bonfires.

Derry City and Strabane District Council said, while it does not authorise or regulate bonfires, it does engage with a wide range of partners to minimise the impact on communities.

A spokesperson said it would continue to liaise with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) regarding the storage and disposal of tyres and other materials which may be placed on bonfires.

Speaking generally on issues connected to bonfires on Tuesday, Justice Minister Naomi Long said safety should always be paramount.

"I don't think that bonfires in the main have to be problematic," Long said.

"I think if people are willing to make sure they are safe and respectful, and they are in proportion to where they are and that they are legal, then in many cases they will pass off without incident.

"Where we have real trouble is where we either get violence connected to the bonfire or we get accidents where people fall from a great height.

"If you were scaling a building, you would have health and safety in place, you would have to wear a harness, there would be scaffolding and yet you see young people climbing what are taller than some buildings," she added.

The SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan criticised the Executive at Stormont for failing to regulate bonfires.

"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," he said.

The Executive Office has been asked for comment.

Why is the bonfire being lit?

Bonfires on 15 August are traditional in some nationalist parts of Northern Ireland to mark the Catholic Feast of the Assumption.

Some bonfires are also lit in August to commemorate the introduction of internment without trial of republican suspects during the Troubles, which was introduced by the UK Government in 1971.