Cllr Flynn said “Fox hunting is vile cruelty dressed up as ‘sport’. Sinn Féin’s vote in the Dáil yesterday (17th December), taken alongside their record in the Assembly, shows a clear pattern. When they are given a chance to ban hunting with dogs, they choose instead to defend it.

If Sinn Féin believes fox hunting is wrong, they should come out and say so. If they believe it should continue, they should at least be honest with the public. What they cannot do is claim the language of animal welfare while repeatedly voting to keep this bloodsport legal across the island of Ireland.

A recent Ireland Thinks poll reported that 72% of the Irish people want fox hunting banned.

In Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK where hunting with dogs remains legal, a public consultation drew over 18,000 responses, with more than three-quarters backing a ban.

The evidence is overwhelming, and so is the will of the people. Majorities across the island, including thousands who engaged directly in consultation here in Northern Ireland, demand change. It is time to end the hunting of wild animals with packs of dogs and finally bring our laws into line with modern standards of animal welfare."

ENDS

Cllr Flynn said "The Supreme Court ruling on mandatory Christian worship in NI schools is hugely significant, and can't be ignored by the executive."

"No child in a publicly-funded school should be pushed into a religious worldview that isn’t theirs. Northern Ireland is changing, our communities are diverse, and our education system needs to reflect that."

"I want to send my congratulations to the father and daughter who brought this case all the way to the supreme court."

"Those who claim this is about attacking faith are wrong, this is about respecting every family equally, including those with different beliefs or none at all."

"Religious education should be balanced, inclusive and modern. Compulsory worship rooted in one tradition belongs in the past, and the old “right to withdraw” simply isn’t good enough anymore."

"This ruling is a chance to finally update NI’s education framework so every child feels welcome and respected. The Executive should move quickly to make it happen."

"It’s 2025. Our schools should represent everyone."

ENDS

Cllr Anthony Flynn said “This morning I was shown deeply distressing footage of a family dog suffering an anxiety-induced stroke after being terrified by fireworks set off near their home. Despite the best efforts of their owners and vets, the dog had to be put to sleep. No animal should endure that level of fear.

"Every year, fireworks also cause huge distress to residents across Northern Ireland, particularly those living with anxiety, PTSD, and other medical conditions. The unexpected explosions and constant noise can trigger panic attacks, flashbacks and sleepless nights for countless people. The current legislation, the Explosives (Fireworks) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002, has not been meaningfully reviewed in over two decades. It is failing to protect both people and animals. I am calling on the Department of Justice and the Justice Minister to urgently commission a full review of our fireworks laws, working with animal welfare groups, mental health organisations, local councils, the PSNI and the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service."

"That review must look at limiting private use, enforcing stricter sale controls, introducing low-noise fireworks as standard, and reducing the time window in which fireworks can legally be used. Fireworks may be brief entertainment for some, but for many families, they bring nights of fear, distress and, as we saw in this tragic case, heartbreak. Northern Ireland deserves laws that reflect compassion, safety, and respect for all who live here.”

ENDS

“The LGBTQ+ window at City Hall is now an iconic feature,” said Cllr Flynn. “Its design incorporates powerful imagery and references that reflect key moments in the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights in Northern Ireland. This includes a quote from journalist Lyra McKee, who was tragically murdered by dissident republicans, symbolic emblems from historic campaigns, such as decriminalisation and marriage equality, and a photo depiction of Tarlach Mac Niallais wearing his 'Save Sodomy from Ulster' T-shirt, which was an act of protest against the discriminatory 'Save Ulster from Sodomy' campaign led by Rev Dr Ian Paisley.”

“In recent days, members of the TUV have taken issue with one particular slogan featured in the design,” he said. “Yet they remain silent on the origins of that slogan, which was a campaign of bigotry that inflicted deep harm on LGBTQ+ people across Northern Ireland. It’s deeply hypocritical to take offence at the response while ignoring the damage caused by the original message.”

“This is yet another example of the TUV engaging in performative culture wars rather than offering any meaningful solutions for the working-class communities they claim to represent. It’s unsurprising coming from a party whose main contribution to politics seems to be soundbites designed for social media engagement.”

“The window was extensively considered by all parties on Belfast City Council and received unanimous support, including from the TUV,” he noted.

ENDS