Drumcree latest: Taoiseach Micheal Martin 'keeping request to meet Garvaghy Road residents under review'
Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said he will “keep under review” a request to meet Garvaghy Road residents over the Drumcree parading dispute.
Sinn Fein MLA John O’Dowd said both the Irish and UK governments have a responsibility to “ensure that there’s no return to what this community went through in the past”, and invited Mr Martin to the Garvaghy Road.
In response, the Irish premier said yesterday: “Our officials have been engaged.
"I got a letter asking for a meeting.
“There is a process there that I am conscious of as well.
"We’ll keep it under review.”
The Orange Order’s Portadown District wrote on Facebook: “We note the latest desperate attempts of Sinn Fein to now seek to draw the Irish government into the issue of the peaceful Drumcree Church parade.
"This stunt is from a political party who are desperate for relevance on this issue, having neglected the Garvaghy Road community for 28 years once they had served their strategy purpose, only to now reappear to gaslight them.
“We have always been clear we will engage with anyone who wishes to build a rights-based and tolerant society.
“However, it would be constitutionally inappropriate for the Irish prime minister to involve himself on this issue or to seek to exert pressure by taking sides on this legal question.
"The issue of parading is a matter of UK law, and the intervention of the Republic of Ireland Prime Minister would breach the three-strand approach underpinning the Belfast Agreement.”
Meanwhile UUP leader Jon Burrows MLA said of the appointment of a mediator: “Drumcree has been a painful and difficult issue for many years.
"The appointment of a mediator is therefore a welcome and important step towards finding a lasting resolution.
“I would encourage all sides to take up the offer of dialogue.
"Nobody is asked to abandon a position by sitting down at a table, and the alternative to talking is another generation of stalemate.
“I encourage everyone involved to engage positively and in good faith, and every political party to support mediation and constructive dialogue.
"This must be taken forward peacefully and lawfully.
“Northern Ireland must continue moving forward in a spirit of mutual respect.
"We must never return to the dark days when parading disputes brought violence, fear and division to our communities.
"This is a moment for calm, responsibility and leadership from everyone.”