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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Brendan Hughes

DUP minister Edwin Poots 'considers renaming department HQ to mark Queen's Jubilee'

DUP Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots is considering renaming the headquarters of his Stormont department to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

It is understood Ballykelly House outside Limavady could be renamed "Jubilee House" under the proposals, sources told Belfast Live.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs declined to comment due to the current Assembly election campaign.

Read more: Every candidate running for the Stormont Assembly

The DUP and Mr Poots also did not respond to requests for a comment.

It was suggested there could be a dispute over the proposed change with the Department of Finance, which is headed by Sinn Féin minister Conor Murphy.

The department declined to comment due to May's election, but Sinn Fein insisted the department has no objections.

A party spokesman said: "The naming of DAERA buildings is a matter for DAERA.

"Department of Finance has not opposed this and has no interest in legal action on this matter."

Ballykelly House, a £21million facility opened 2018, is located on the former Shackleton Army Base in Co Derry on the banks of Lough Foyle.

Earlier this year the DUP accused Sinn Féin of disrespecting unionist culture and identity by blocking requests to mark Northern Ireland's centenary and the Queen's jubilee.

Unionist politicians had complained about the finance department refusing to allow a tree to be planted on the Stormont estate to mark the Queen's jubilee.

Mr Murphy had said it went against an existing policy of only allowing international events to be marked. However, he later announced plans to review the policy.

In February the Assembly Commission - which is made up of representatives of the main Stormont parties and has responsibility for Parliament Buildings - agreed to plant a tree in its grounds to mark the Queen's jubilee.

In 2016, Stormont's agriculture department was embroiled in a row over changing a boat's name from Irish to English.

The DUP's Michelle McIlveen, then Agriculture Minister, faced criticism when it emerged the patrol vessel's name 'Banríon Uladh' had been changed to its English translation 'Queen of Ulster'.

At the time the minister defended the name change, saying that her department has a "single-language policy".

The fisheries protection vessel was originally named by then Sinn Féin Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew after it was purchased in 2010.

Read more: Every candidate running for the Stormont Assembly

Read more: DUP minister's son posts Covid 'anti-vax views' on Instagram

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