SINN Féin and the DUP clashed at Belfast City Council on Monday night over funding to restore Fernhill House in North Belfast.
The building, which was used by The Combined Loyalist Military Command to announce the loyalist 1994 ceasefire, has lain vacant since 2008 and has fallen in a state of disrepair.
At the September meeting of the Belfast City Council, the DUP proposed allocating £950,000 from available underspend to renovate the building, a move supported by Sinn Féin. However at last month's Strategic, Policy and Resources Committee, Sinn Féin agreed to defer consideration of the recommendation to move the project to Stage 3 until the Irish Language Policy call-in has been resolved.
At Monday night's Council meeting, DUP Alderman Frank McCoubrey hit out at the committee decision.
"In September, Councillor Beattie spoke in this Chamber and welcomed the investment proposal, recognising the importance as a heritage asset for the unionist community," he said. "In Strategic, Policy and Resources, it seems Sinn Féin have backtracked and proposed to delay the essential works to Fernhill House moving to Stage Three by linking it to the ongoing call-in on the Irish language.
"These two matters are entirely unrelated. Fernhill has no connection whatsoever to the call-in. This important project should not be paused in order to make a political point.
He proposed a motion moving Fernhill to Stage Three, which was seconded by Councillor Nicola Verner.
DUP Councillor Ian McLaughlin added: "We are constantly being told that Fernhill has to wait because of proper process and equality implications.
"In September Sinn Féin were glowing with positivity about supporting Fernhill and now they have turned it into collateral damage to make a political point. It seems to be convenient to take a unionist heritage asset and stick it on a hook until they get their own way elsewhere."
Sinn Féin councillor Ryan Murphy accused the DUP of voting against the minute to propose funding for Fernhill House.
"It was only thanks to us and other councillors in this chamber that it was carried," he responded.
He said the point of deferring Fernhill funding was to find out what the call-in means for funding for the Irish Language Policy.
Sinn Féin councillor Ronan McLaughlin said: "The DUP voted against the minute which would have lost the £950,000 for Fernhill. The DUP linked Fernhill and Irish Language Policy together because they came from the same underspend."
Following a vote, Alderman Frank McCoubrey's proposal to proceed Fernhill House to the next stage was carried with 31 votes for and 29 against.
