Gildernew - solutions to be found on parading

Catriona Loughran • Published 11 Feb 2010 10:32 0 Comments

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First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy Minister Martin McGuinness pictured at the first meeting of the Parades Working Group which took place in Stormont Castle who are Stephen Moutray, Nelson McCausland, Jeffrey Donaldson, Gerry Kelly, Michelle Gildernew and John O'Dowd. Photo John Harrison.

Fermanagh/South Tyrone MP, Michelle Gildernew said "solutions will be found" on parading as she prepared to enter the first meeting of the Assembly's Parades Working Group on Tuesday.

Three members from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and three members of Sinn Féin make up the group, which was set up following last Friday's agreement on the devolution of policing and justice.

The group will examine the future of Orange Order Parades and discuss possible outcomes that can be accepted by both sides of the community and have until February 23 to achieve this.

Ms Gildernew, who is to defend her parliamentary seat in this year's Westminster elections, said meetings will be "focused" and "solutions will be found".

"We all want what's right for people who live in this community and for those especially who live in the areas where the contentious issue of parading exists. Whether it be north Belfast or Newtownbutler we have to respect the wishes of all the people particularly those who face harrassment on their own doorstep and we will follow the framework that was agreed at the Hillsborough Agreement in order to develop this further."

Ms Gildernew along with colleagues Gerry Kelly and John O'Dowd will meet daily with DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson, Stephen Moutray and Nelson McCausland to examine the parades issue.

There is concern however that if the Working Group doesn't agree on parading, it could delay the devolution of policing powers from Westminster to Stormont even further.

But Ms Gildernew said the Group will work hard to ensure that outcomes and possible solutions will be reached in time.

"The Hillsborough talks came to an agreement in the end and we successfully resolved those outstanding issues particularly around the Irish Language Act and the lack of progress on that and we can do it again. We are all an experienced team of politicians who face a gruelling two weeks and we will endeavour to deliver for the people of the north on a cross-community basis."

The First and Deputy First ministers have agreed to support the outcomes of the parading discussions and following the completion of the consultation process-a bill will be finalised by the end of November this year.

Meanwhile the DUP's Arlene Foster said more dialogue led by politicians should be able to resolve parading issues this summer, until the new arrangements are set to be introduced later this year.

Speaking yesterday(Wednesday) she said, "The Parades Commission has been appointed to the end of this year. The important thing is that as well as structures, there is a mood to deal with things on the ground. I would like to sort out parades like Newtownbutler. There is a need for dialogue and we said it was helpful that politicians would take a lead in the dialogue and I am prepared to do that. There have been good examples of work on the ground, such as in Londonderry."

The UUP MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Tom Elliott, said that if the new working group established to set up a mechanism to sort out the parading issues go down the line of the Ashdown proposals then he fears it could be a difficult process. He said that under Lord Ashdown's proposals, believed to have been a template for the Hillsborough Agreement, organisers of parades would have to give 35 days notice to an administrative body, which would then in turn notify anyone in the area with an interest and if there is an objection, engage a dialogue between the relevant parties and if there was still an objection, there would have to be mediation and possibly a final decision by an arbitrator.

There are an estimated 3,000 parades in total during the year across Northern Ireland including the loyal order parades as well as vintage car runs and even the Fermanagh Harriers Boxing Day Hunt but there are around several dozen contentious parades involving the Orange Order and Royal Black Institution.

"I can see difficulties ahead," warned Mr. Elliott.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 11 Feb 10

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