No shades of green for Stormont on St Patrick's Day

It seems like half the world turns a shade of green every year on 17 March to celebrate Ireland's patron saint, St Patrick.

Almost every landmark - from the pyramids in Egypt, Italy's leaning tower of Pisa and even the fountain at the White House, is flooded with green lighting for one day only.

But if you are heading in the direction of Stormont this St Patrick's Day, don't expect to see Parliament Buildings basking in an emerald glow.

The decision rests with the assembly commission, who said they have not received a request to light the building green.

Alliance MLA Judith Cochrane, who sits on the commission, told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme that the infrastructure to change Stormont's lighting is in place.

"We've done a lot of work on the roof replacing it, and put in a lighting system so we can comply with more requests to light it up, but we haven't received a request for St Patrick's Day," she said.

"The commission picks 17 days - that's the policy we adhere to. We haven't agreed the days yet.

"It may be a decision that we would waive the two-month application for and that Stormont may yet turn green on 17 March, but the commission would have to decide it was exceptional circumstances because it would be outside of the policy."

Sinn Féin MLA Máirtín Ó Muilleoir was a member of Belfast City Council when it gave the go-ahead for green light proposals at Belfast City Hall in 2012.

Now he wants to see Stormont getting in on the act.

"We now have a green city hall for St Patrick's Day and an orange city hall on 12 July, and what we found was it helped us engage with the public," Mr Ó Muilleoir said.

"One of the great problems facing us is that people do not feel they own or share Stormont, if we could light it up more, I think it would be magnificent. We're a bit too grand, we need ways to engage with people."

Last year, Parliament Buildings went pink for the Giro d'Italia, a bike race that attracted thousands of tourists to Northern Ireland.

Tourism Ireland, which runs the campaign for 'greening' landmarks across the world, said its role is to promote the island of Ireland overseas and "only gets involved in making arrangements for 'greenings' overseas".

Máirtín Ó Muilleoir said lighting up the iconic building was about more than just promoting tourism.

"To light up Stormont won't bring tourists here, but it makes us proud of ourselves and our land," he said. "I'm going to dye my hair green on St Patrick's Day!"

So even if the grey walls of Stormont do not get a makeover in time for St Patrick's celebrations, you might at least spot a hint of green running around the corridors.