Posted online: Apr 29th, 2010

By Ursula Duddy
Reporter

A meeting will take place today to discuss the use of Free Derry Corner in the run-up to next week’s election.
Representatives from People Before Profit Alliance, Sinn Féin and the Free Derry Corner Committee will meet to discuss the protocol for displaying political material at the famous landmark.
A row erupted this week when People Before Profit erected a banner at Free Derry Corner in support of their Foyle election candidate Eamonn McCann.
Mr McCann claimed that he was not aware of a formal procedure to make use of the space on the rear of the wall, which is regularly used by various groups and campaigners.
Mr McCann said that he had been asked to take his banner down by lunchtime yesterday in order to give Sinn Féin the forum to display their election banner.
He objected saying that his campaigners had arranged to display the banner with people usually associated with displaying material on the wall and that no political party controlled Free Derry Corner.
It has now emerged that the committee responsible for deciding what is displayed on Free Derry Corner asked Sinn Féin to wait until tomorrow to display their banner.
Andrew McCartney, Sinn Féin’s Director of Elections, yesterday said they had over the years we have worked closely with the committee to adhere with their protocol.
“In recent days we have been informed that our slot for the wall will begin on Friday. We will proceed in due course with the committee’s directions.”
Mr McCann said at today’s meeting he intended to offer a number of ideas to the committee in order to avoid a similar misunderstanding happening again.
“We will put it to the committee and Sinn Féin a number of proposals that we believe will satisfy everybody involved and rule out any possibility of a wrangle like this in future years,” he said.
“We’ve had our little spat and we want to get over it.”