A councillor from the Social Democratic and Labour Party has changed his position on a plaque connected to Prince Andrew, now supporting its permanent removal.
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Pat Catney had previously told officials at Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council that the plaque should be restored. He argued that removing it risked altering the historical record of the event it commemorated.
The plaque had marked a tree planted in 2009 by Andrew, then Duke of York, during celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of Lisburn. It was taken down shortly before Christmas as new details emerged about the former royal’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The SDLP later said Catney had clarified his view and now agreed that the plaque should not be reinstated.
Emails Revealed Debate
Correspondence seen by BBC News NI shows council officials invited elected representatives to suggest ways to acknowledge the tree’s historical significance while recognising sensitivities surrounding Andrew.
In a reply, Catney wrote that he believed the original plaque should be restored as it had first appeared. He said the tree planting formed part of the city’s history and that the council should avoid rewriting past events.
At the time, he argued that the commemorative marker recorded a moment in the city’s history and that removing it risked altering that record.
Criticism from Other Councillors
The earlier stance drew criticism from other members of the council.
Claire Kemp of the Alliance Party urged Catney to explain his reasoning. She said residents had expressed strong discomfort about maintaining any tribute to Andrew.
Kemp said the council had acted appropriately in removing the plaque and argued that references to Andrew should not remain in public commemorations given the controversy surrounding him.
She added that while Lisburn and Castlereagh have longstanding links with the British royal family, the plaque’s removal was the correct decision under the circumstances.
Party Statement
An SDLP spokesperson later said Catney had clarified his position to council officials and now supported permanently removing the plaque.
The party said it had consistently argued that tributes connected to Andrew were inappropriate following the Epstein scandal. It added that the SDLP had been among the first political groups to call for such recognitions to be taken down.
The spokesperson also expressed sympathy for victims connected to Epstein and others linked to the case.
Meanwhile, a representative for Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council said the plaque mount had already been removed during a clean-up of the site and that there were currently no plans to reinstall it.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 27 March 2026