The North's Health Minister, Ms Bairbre de Brun of Sinn Fein, was criticised by unionists in the chamber yesterday for refusing to grant permission for the flying of the Union flag from departmental premises over Christmas.
A DUP motion, which condemned Ms de Brun for being in "flagrant breach" of agreed policy, was passed by 51 votes to 32, with the support of anti-agreement unionists and the Ulster Unionists, who said Ms de Brun's actions had been contrary to the Belfast Agreement.
"She has failed to show respect to the unionist community and her attitude has caused further division in our society," said Mr Ian Paisley jnr.
The UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, said the "essential elements" of the Belfast Agreement should be granted their "due rights". No disrespect should be shown to the British queen, as she was "the only sovereign in this land," he added.
The North's Minister for the Environment, Mr Sam Foster , (UUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone) said he found the refusal to fly the British flag from state property "most offensive".
As members of the executive Sinn Fein ministers carried out their duties on behalf of "Her Majesty", he said. He queried whether the refusal to grant permission to fly the flag was designed to "deceive" republicans rather than the pro-British people.
Mr Robert McCartney of the UK Unionist Party criticised the use of flags, language and culture as political weapons, and said the use of flags should be reserved as representation of state sovereignty.
An SDLP amendment criticising the abuse of flags and other symbols was defeated. Mr Alban Maginness (SDLP, north Belfast) described the issue as "sensitive and delicate". In the North flags were a source of "provocation, aggravation and division," he added.
Mr Maginness said he hoped society in Northern Ireland would become "politically mature" enough to allow nationalists and republicans fully to respect the British flag, and unionists and loyalists to respect the Tricolour.
Mr John Dallat, (SDLP, east Derry) said 34 years after the DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, had demanded the removal of a Tricolour from a Sinn Fein office on the Falls Road, which led to rioting, he was "still obsessed with flags, forgetting nothing and learning nothing." Shortly afterwards the UVF killed the first three victims of the Troubles, he added.
Earlier the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Mr Reg Empey (UUP, east Belfast), the Minister for Higher and Further Education, Mr Sean Farren (SDLP, north Antrim), and the Minister for Social Development, Mr Nigel Dodds (DUP, North Belfast), became the first departmental ministers to take questions in the chamber.
The two DUP Ministers refuse to attend executive meetings due to Sinn Fein's presence.
The Sinn Fein MLA for West Belfast, Mr Alex Maskey, tabled the first question, to Mr Dodds on the need for more social housing in his constituency.
In his reply Mr Dodds stressed that extra money would have been available to address waiting lists if the Housing Executive had not been forced to spend £3.8 million on repairing bomb-damaged homes, and £20 million on the evacuated dwellings scheme.
A final DUP motion calling on the Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, to reject the Patten Report was withdrawn by the proposing party when the Speaker, Lord Alderdice, indicated that only half an hour could be given to the debate.