A call for St Patrick's Day to be made a public holiday in the North has passed the Northern Ireland Assembly with unionists agreeing to support an Alliance Party motion on the condition that the union flag was flown from government and public buildings on the day.
Proposing the motion, Mr Kieran McCarthy (Alliance, Strangford) said the fact that March 17th was a bank holiday and not an official public holiday meant shipyard workers, factory workers and schoolchildren "simply have to plod on".
Mr Jim Wilson (UUP, South Antrim) tabled an amendment, which added that the union flag should be flown on that date and this was passed by 50 votes to 32. During the debate, which may prove to be the final debate under the current phase of devolution if the Assembly is suspended, the DUP leader, Dr Ian Paisley, spoke in favour of the amendment.
He said he rejected the sectarian and political label that had been put on St Patrick. "I reject that Rome has put chains around St Patrick and has said he is a Roman Catholic."
Ms Mary Nellis ein, (SF, Foyle) congratulated the work of the St Patrick's Day Carnival Committee based in west Belfast who, she said, had organised parades despite the refusal of Belfast City Council to grant funding.
Mr Alban Maginness (SDLP, North Belfast) said the day should not be used for political ends but rather "to celebrate the cultural and religious inheritance of St Patrick".
Mr Sammy Wilson (DUP, East Belfast) said he was British and not Irish and "no self-respecting Protestant" would be content to take part in a St Patrick's Day parade.
According to Mr Gregory Campbell (DUP, East Derry) neither he nor his grandchildren would be Irish "in this century or the next one". Mr John Kelly (SF, Mid-Ulster) said he was surprised Mr Campbell could predict the wishes of his grandchildren. "I can never tell what my grandchildren want from one minute to the next, never mind one century to the next."