Order now 'seriously disadvantaged' on parades – Donaldson
THE Orange Order's failure to back the proposed new legislation on parading has left it "seriously disadvantaged" according to the DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson.
Speaking yesterday after the Order decided to uphold its rejection of the Draft Public Assemblies Bill, the Lagan Valley MP said: “We are deeply disappointed that once again we are left with the Parades Commission for at least another year.
“What we have now is a deeply flawed process and not the way forward – the new proposals are much better than what we have been left with at the minute.”
Mr Donaldson said he was unsure of what was causing the Orange Order such difficulty.
“Our door is open for the Orange Order to give us their response to the proposals. The Orange Order has been fully informed throughout the process and I believe the failure to engage has left them in a disadvantaged position.”
Ulster Unionist parading spokesman Michael Copeland said he understood that the Grand Lodge refused to endorse the original proposals and were then asked to rescind their decision in light of amended proposals.
“As far as I am aware, neither the Grand Lodge, the secretary of state or the Northern Ireland Office has seen the amended proposals.
“It seems entirely predictable that the Grand Lodge would refuse to endorse something they hadn’t seen as no one is going to sign a blank cheque.”
Councillor Copeland said: “We are now seeing the consequences of the DUP and Sinn Fein’s carve-up on this issue and – as ever – it is not in the best interests of Northern Ireland. Let us be clear, the UUP, as well as the SDLP, were not involved in these negotiations.”
Rev Mervyn Gibson, who acted as an advisor to the DUP/Sinn Fein working group on parades, said: “I’m disappointed the Parades Commission remains in place but I’ve no further comment.”
TUV leader Jim Allister said: “Following the Hillsborough Agreement DUP leader Peter Robinson talked darkly about a ‘clever device’ implanted within it which, he assured us, he would employ if the DUP were unable to secure a satisfactory deal on parading.
“Some even say he undertook to resign as first minister if acceptable parading legislation was not in place by December 2010.”
Mr Allister asked if it was time for Mr Robinson “to reveal and use his clever device – guaranteed to stop Sinn Fein being the only winners out of Hillsborough – unless, of course, he was bluffing”.
Dolores Kelly, SDLP MLA for Upper Bann, said the rejected proposals were “fatally flawed”.
“The SDLP may have disagreed with some of its determinations, but by and large the Parades Commission has worked, reducing the number of contentious parades and giving us ten years of peace on the Garvaghy Road for instance.”
Minister of State Hugo Swire MP last night confirmed that he will now make arrangements for the continuation of the Parades Commission.
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Monday 28 May 2012
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