A DUP motion calling for Belfast City Council to sign up to a covenant designed to ending "disadvantages" for ex-British Armed Forces servicemen and women and giving them extra privileges has failed once again by a single vote.
The Armed Forces Covenant motion by DUP Alderman James Lawlor called on Belfast City Council to recognise 'the unique skills that are held by Armed Forces service leavers, recognise that many veterans can face disadvantages compared to the general population arising from military life when accessing services'.
At the December meeting of the Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, councillors were split down the middle over the motion.
The issue was further raised at January's full Council meeting and following another vote, was tied with 27 votes for and 27 votes against.
Due to the tie, the deciding vote was left to Lord Mayor, Alliance Councillor Micky Murray, who voted in favour of the motion. Controversy then erupted when Sinn Féin group leader Ciarán Beattie claimed that party colleague Councillor Áine McCabe was having trouble accessing the meeting remotely and was not able to cast her vote, which would have been decisive.
At February's meeting, following a vote, the motion was defeated with 29 votes for and 28 against with two no votes recorded.
At Belfast City Council's annual meeting on Monday, the motion was once again proposed by Alderman Lawlor.
He accused Sinn Féin and SDLP of "priding themselves" as the champions of equality whilst also "denying in the very same breath" the same equality to armed forces veterans.
Alliance councillor Michael Long said his party would focus on the equality issue around the motion and would support it.
People Before Profit councillor Michael Collins said he could not support the motion as it implies support for the British military and for its imperial adventures which have cost so many lives.
Sinn Féin group leader Ciarán Beattie said his party would oppose the motion "again and again and again" and said people in this city cannot forget massacres committed by the British Army including New Lodge, Ballymurphy and Springhill.
Green Party councillor Áine Groogan said the party has a "principled position" of non-violence and added that it is a "crying shame" that armed forces veterans are left to their own devices and would be issuing a non-vote.
SDLP councillor Séamas de Faoite said his party would once again oppose the motion because it does give an unfair advantage to veterans access to public services.
Following a recorded vote, the motion was defeated with 29 votes against, 28 for and three no votes.
