Lisburn City Council could face legal action to challenge its decision toexclude nationalists from all senior positions, it emerged today.
Sinn Féin insisted the Co Antrim council should be found guilty ofdiscrimination, as it launched a 12 point plan to oppose the decision.
Councillor Paul Butler said Lisburn was the last bastion of unionistdomination in Northern Ireland and should be politically isolated acrossIreland, Britain and Europe.
He said the party's solicitors were exploring the possibility of seeking ajudicial review of the decision taken at last month's Annual General Meeting ofthe council.
Four Sinn Féin, three SDLP and three Alliance councillors serve alongside 12Ulster Unionist, five Democratic Unionist and two independent unionistcouncillors on the authority.
But unionists serve as the mayor and deputy mayor, as well as the chair andvice-chairs of the five main council committees.
Sinn Féin national Chairperson Mr Mitchel McLaughlin described the currentsituation as "totally intolerable".
"The reality is that the message it sends out, at this time of politicaluncertainty, to Catholics or to nationalists in Lisburn is that there is no needto apply as far as Lisburn City Council is concerned," he said.
"Make no mistake about it, if that type of blatant and direct discriminationcan happen in the election to the senior positions on the council, then theratepayers of Lisburn can expect no better.
"We intend to be part of an effective campaign about bringing democracy tothe council, it's not about collapsing the local government institutions, butit's about making them democratic and transparently democratic."
Nationalists claimed Lisburn - dubbed the 'City for Everyone' in last year'scampaign for city status - "re-entered the dark ages" after the council AGM.
Sinn Féin councillor Mr Paul Butler said Lisburn was out of step with the otherfour cities in Northern Ireland who operate power-sharing mechanisms.
"Lisburn in some ways is the last bastion of unionist domination and it hasto end and it has to share power with nationalists and others on the council,"he said.
Cllr Butler said a motion calling for the proportional allocation of postsbased on party strength would be put to tonight's council meeting in the city.
"If that fails, as we suspect it will, we will be calling for Lisburn CityCouncil to be politically isolated in Ireland, north and south, Britain andEurope," he added.
PA