MLAs at Stormont are to discuss whether the Irish tricolor should fly over Parliament Buildings. The Assembly Commission, which is responsible for the assembly, has agreed to discuss the flags policy.
However, the DUP has said there is no chance that the tricolor will fly over the Northern assembly.
The discussion is expected to happen in the next few weeks after pressure from Sinn Féin and the SDLP.
Sinn Fein MLA John O'Dowd said it was time for a "cool and mature" debate. But the DUP's Peter Weir said that nationalists were "deluding themselves" if they thought the tricolor would fly over Stormont.
"We are actually part of the United Kingdom, that may have escaped a few people's notice," Weir said.
"It is not going to help good relations to stir up the issue of the flag and the reality is Stormont needs to reflect the fact that we are part of the United Kingdom and the only flag that will be flying will be the Union Jack".
John O'Dowd said an independent report had concluded that "Stormont and the assembly grounds did not reflect the nationalist and republican
background of many, many people who are either elected representatives in it, or who visit the Stormont estate".
The debate follows a similar row at Belfast City Council where an independent report made several recommendations from the current policy of flying the union flag 365 days a year. they included flying the Union Jack along with the tricolor, flying no flags, flying a council flag, or only flying the British flag on designated days.
Currently, the union flag - which is often incorrectly term the Union Jack, a naval flag - flies 12 days a year at Stormont.
