Public turn on burning of effigies and wreaths in LucidTalk survey

An effigy of Michelle O'Neill on a bonfire in Dungannon

More than two-thirds of the population want stricter regulations around bonfires and flags.

A LucidTalk poll for the Belfast Telegraph found 70 per cent of people support tighter rules around pyres, while 65 per cent were in favour of stronger guidelines on the flying of flags.

The findings come on the back of another summer of controversy during which two loyalists suffered severe injuries following falls from bonfires in Newtownards and Derry.

An effigy of Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O’Neill was burned on a pyre in Dungannon, following on from similar incidents last year involving effigies of Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald and Alliance leader Naomi Long.

There were more than 250 loyalist bonfires across Northern Ireland this year, with just one republican bonfire in Derry earlier this month.

The names of murdered prison and police officers have adorned previous dissident bonfires, which LucidTalk polling shows the vast majority of nationalists oppose.

Read more Unionism can’t keep burying its head in sand over bonfires

Its survey found 97 per cent of nationalist/republican voters want stricter regulations on bonfires, with 94 per cent wanting tighter rules on the display of flags.

The figures were similar among Alliance, Greens and others voters, with 94 per cent backing strict regulations on bonfires and 93 per cent in favour of tougher rules on flags.

However, these numbers drop dramatically when it comes to unionist voters. The LucidTalk survey discovered just 35 per cent are in favour of harsher bonfire regulations, and just 28 per cent support more stringent flag practices.

A further 61 per cent of unionist voters believe bonfires should be left as they are, with 67 per cent saying the same about the flying of flags.

The polling shows just how far apart republican, nationalist and centrist parties are from unionists on these contentious and annual issues.

While there are no specific laws around bonfires, there is legislation concerning the environment, blocking roads, pollution and fly-tipping which makes them essentially illegal.

However, statutory agencies rarely enforce these regulations over fears of causing public disorder.

Earlier this month a number of vehicles were set on fire by rioters in the Galliagh are of Derry after contractors removed material from a dissident republican bonfire — the only one to occur in a nationalist area this year.

The bonfire and flag survey by LucidTalk, which is part of the British Polling Council, was carried out over three days earlier this month. It took in almost 3,000 responses from a panel based on gender, age, residence and community background.

All results are accurate in terms of being Northern Ireland-representative to within an error of +/-2.3 per cent at 95 per cent confidence.

A LucidTalk poll on PSNI confidence found just 16 per cent of people have faith in Chief Constable Simon Byrne. Six out of 10 surveyed said they had little or no faith in Mr Byrne.

It also showed how only a quarter of nationalists had faith in the PSNI, with twice as many having little or no faith in the force.

The findings piled even more pressure on Mr Byrne, who is insisting he will not resign in the wake of the embarrassing data breach which saw the details of police officers and staff published online.

Read more PSNI must address its issues if it’s to emerge from crisis with any credibility

The Belfast Telegraph will publish further LucidTalk poll findings including the support for political parties and their leaders across Northern Ireland.