The Church Of Ireland
Press Release

Thursday 20 May 1999

The President of the Synod, the Archbishop of Armagh, Dr. Robin Eames underlined that the General Synod had not passed a motion that banned the flying of the Union Flag in Northern Ireland or the tricolour in the Republic. He condemned some media headlines which claimed that national flags had been banned by the General Synod as "wrong, misleading and mischievous."

"It has come to the attention of the General Synod that in some parts of the media there has been drawn an inference that Motion No 4 of the General Synod 1999 makes illegal the flying of flags other than the Cross of St. Patrick and/or the flag of the Anglican Communion in connection with important Church festivals. Such inference is incorrect. The motion procedure in General Synod does not make law, it is not about permitting or prohibiting, rather it is an attempt to convey an expression of the mind of the General Synod and has moral but not binding legal authority. Motion No 4, like other motions, offers guidance not legal imperative."

Return to General Synod 1999 Index