Parades Commission says Drumcree mediators 'reflective of all communities' after Breandan Mac Cionnaith claims 'conflict of interest'
The Parades Commission has said that the body appointed to mediate the Drumcree dispute is “reflective of all the communities involved”.
It came after Breandan Mac Cionnaith, a spokesman for the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition, spoke out against the organisation on the basis that it has a past connection to the Orange Order.
The commission has named the mediation body as TIDES Mediation NI, a charity based near Queen’s University in south Belfast.
This outfit is a partnership between TIDES Training and Consultancy and Mediation Northern Ireland.
The website of TIDES Training and Consultancy, which gives its address as being in the Duncairn area of north Belfast, listed the Orange Order as having been a previous client.
It also listed the GAA as a previous client too, as well as a raft of public bodies.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday night, Mr Mac Cionnaith said: “My understanding of mediation is that the mediator is supposed to be a neutral person.
"What the Parades Commission did not inform us in relation to the mediator, that we had to find out ourselves, is that the organisation appointed had actually been employed to do mediation work on behalf of the Orange Order.
"Now if there’s not a conflict of interest there, then I don’t know what it is.
"So it’s back to the drawing board for the Parades Commission.”
The News Letter sought to contact TIDES Training and Consultancy and the Parades Commission, and the latter responded with the following statement tonight: “The Parades Commission has responded to concerns raised by the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition regarding the appointed mediators in relation to the Drumcree parading dispute.
"The Commission has clarified that TIDES Mediation NI has a network of qualified mediators and ensures that, in each mediation, those appointed are reflective of all the communities involved.”
It also said: “For this process to progress, it will require the participation of both sides.
"The Parades Commission remains committed to supporting efforts to facilitate dialogue and mediation between the parties.”