A monument in Dromore is at the centre of a political tug-o-war between the DUP and Jim Allister's Traditional Unionist Voice.

Both parties are claiming responsibility for getting the Secretary of State to tell Omagh District Council that it must act regarding what they claim is an 'illegal' IRA monument in Dromore.

Mr Allister put his case: "In early December last year, I wrote to the Secretary of State highlighting the fact that the Equality Commission has been compelled to report to him on the persistent failure of Omagh District Council to act on its recommendation to conduct an Equality Impact Assessment on disposal of land for the purpose of erecting or retaining an IRA monument in Dromore."

Meanwhile, West Tyrone DUP MLA Tom Buchanan, who was first to raise the issue in the Council in 2001, has accused the local authority of dragging its feet on this matter in the past.

Mr Buchanan said: "The Council's position to date leaves the local authority in breach of its own cultural policy. I welcome the intervention of the Secretary of State in the issue and am pleased that Omagh District Council has been given a final deadline date by which the Equality Impact Assessment into this monument must be completed. I look forward to reading its findings."

NO JUSTIFICATION

He continued: "In this area which has suffered so much as a consequence of terrorist crime, there is absolutely no justification for the erection of this monument, illegally, on Council property. For too long, this process has been dragged out. It is my firm belief that the monument should be removed."

Mr Allister similarly observed: "It was clear from the protracted history of this matter that the Council had been deliberately avoiding its legal obligations. It is intolerable that a public authority should behave in such a manner."

And, he added:"The Secretary of State has informed me that he has, as requested in my letter, issued a direction to Omagh District Council to carry out an Equality Impact Assessment. I very much welcome this development.

"I trust that this will eventually lead to the removal of the monument and that the Protestant minority in Dromore will no longer have to endure the presence of this illegal and offensive memorial."

Mr Allister,MEP, concluded: "Of course, this is just one of many illegal monuments to illegal organisations throughout Ulster.

"It is a matter of great regret that the DUP-controlled Department of the Environment has failed to take Province-wide action on this matter."

A spokesperson for Omagh District Council stated: "Omagh District Council has planned to carry out an Equality Impact Assessment consultation on the memorial in Dromore. A list of consultees is currently being compiled to ensure that the process is as comprehensive as possible. The consultation will be advertised publicly."