Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has come under further attack over his promise to erect more union flags on public buildings in Northern Ireland.

The DUP MLA announced that his department would be erecting a union flag on each of five Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) buildings: the DoE offices on College Street, Goodwood House and Victoria Hall on May Street, Clare House on Airport Road West and Rosepark House in east Belfast.

The cost has been estimated at a maximum of £10,000.

Alliance OFMDFM spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA said: "Alliance believes that we must put an end to the tit for tat game around flags. We believe in flying flags in a way that inspires maximum respect and dignity around important symbols of belonging and identity. That is why we proposed the designated days solution in Belfast, a proposal that we believe should be the policy of all Councils.

"Is the Finance Minister's decision a DUP recognition that a policy of time bound display is the only sustainable solution or is it further political games with scarce resources and identity?

"Alliance calls on political leaders to reach a joint arrangement on flags and emblems across Northern Ireland rather than tit for tat provocation.

"Our fragile economy and our shared future demand nothing less."

SDLP Economy Spokesperson Patsy McGlone said the Finance Minister’s priorities were "flags, flags and more flags".

"One in four of our young people are out of work, many forced to leave our shores in search of a job," he said.

"In the last week alone we have had the care home fiasco, a damning report showing growing child poverty and news that Botanic Inns has gone into administration and hundreds of jobs are under threat.

"Those affected elderly people and their families, the people young and old out of work, those struggling to keep a roof over their children’s heads and those staff associated with Botanic Inns are all looking to their Government Ministers for help and support. What does the Finance Minister come up with? Stick a flag up on every government owned building and let the tax payer pick up the tab for it."

Sammy Wilson's announcement followed news that his party would no longer be pushing to have the union flag fly above the cenotaph at Belfast City Hall.

The DUP had argued that the flag should be flown over the cenotaph following the decision by Belfast Councillors only to fly the flag above City Hall on 18 designated days, as opposed to all year round.

Following lack of cross-party support and a statement of opposition by the Royal British Legion, the DUP revoked the proposal.

Mr McGlone continued: "This is destructive distraction politics at its worst. It is a clear attempt to reignite the flags debacle at a time when businesses are just getting over the damage caused to them from months of illegal flags protests and street violence.

"This is not about 'a more dignified way of expressing Britishness' as the Minister claims, this is about distracting the electorate from growing DUP failures in government, even if it takes us to a destructive and dangerous place, economically, socially and politically."

First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have told the BBC they believe the issue can be resolved.

(IT/CD)