IN FULL: Portadown Orangemen's statement on Drumcree saying they cannot be 'bought'
The leaders of the Orange Order’s Portadown District have issued a statement saying that “no amount of funding, investment or inducements” can “buy” them.
It also said that a “significant announcement” is due to take place on Thursday morning.
It all comes in the context of the re-opening of the issue of the Drumcree parade.
The march from Drumcree Parish Church into central Portadown via the Garvaghy Road has long been blocked by the Parades Commission, but this decision has now been quashed.
In addition, highly-critical remarks have been made towards the commission by a High Court judge – something which has so far sparked one resignation from its board.
David Jones, who was a long-time spokesman for the order on Drumcree, has told the News Letter that it would be “sensible” not to co-operate with the commission while the remaining five board members are in place.
He also indicated that a silent parade could be acceptable to brethren – see this link.
Amid all of this, here below is the statement issued close to midnight last night from the Facebook page of Portadown Orange District LOL 1.
It reads, in full:
Following an emergency meeting of Portadown District Lodge officers tonight in Carleton Street Orange Hall, the Portadown District can announce the following:
• A press conference will take place on Thursday morning at 9:30am at Carleton Street Orange Hall whereby there will be a significant announcement in regards next steps toward completing the 1998 church parade. This is a right to which we have been unlawfully denied for 28 years.
• The district wishes to make three things clear: firstly, there is nothing on the table by Portadown District, because as Sinn Fein and residents have made clear, talks or mediation itself is off the table. We have a legal right to complete this parade, and we go to enforce that right using the law; secondly, there will be no deals made by Portadown District with the Government or anyone else.
To be clear, there have been no offers made, but should anyone be considering making one, we wish to make clear there is no amount of funding, investment or inducements that would buy the Portadown District; and thirdly, the notification to be made is made within the present context and shall not, and indeed could not, bind this district for the future.
• Additionally, we have received the endorsement of district lodge officers for the requirement that the current Parades Commissioners and in particular the chair must resign. In the absence of this there is no confidence in, nor reassurance which can be offered, about the sustainability of the notification framework in so far as it relates to the Parades Commission.
We require that there is a judge-led (whether serving or retired) review into the Parades Commission. The terms of reference for this should include reviewing the ethics, governance and legislative framework of the commission and, on a freestanding basis, the review must include an investigation into the events surrounding the court case.
The person charged with conducting this review should have full access to all commission documentation, and the review should be conducted over a short period of time with a public facing report.
• In the immediate term, we wish to see the commission's procedural rules amended using the powers provided under Schedule 2 of the Public Processions Act to replace the current 'review' mechanism with a new procedure whereby those subject to determinations shall have the right to lodge an appeal to an independent panel, which should be chaired by someone who holds, or has held, judicial office, with this panel having the power to amend, revoke or substitute the decision of the commission.
This is an immediate step which can be taken as it is clear the procedure for the commission to review itself has fundamentally failed and cannot be sustained.
• In light of the issues in the court case, we wish to see the Parades Commission made subject to the jurisdiction of the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman. This is important because it provides accountability and oversight which, as has been laid bare by the court proceedings, has been completely absent.