Loyal Order Rejects Marching Deal

Party politics may have clouded the issue of an expected deal on reforming the way in which parades are handled in the North.

While having no impact on this year's 'Marching Season' as it would have taken some time to implement, the Grand Orange Lodge has this week rejected proposals that would have led to the disbandment of the Parades Commission.

Members, by 37 votes to 32, with four abstentions, rejected draft proposals published in April by the DUP First Minister Peter Robinson and Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness to create a new system of dealing with contentious parades that would replace the Parades Commission.

But, Ulster Unionist Tom Elliott, who attended the Grand Orange Lodge meeting in Co Tyrone on Tuesday night, has disupted later rejected claims by a number of Orange Order sources that the rejection of the proposals was party-political having been described as a "UUP/TUV ambush" of the DUP.

The proposals followed the Hillsborough Castle Agreement and were devised by a working group of three senior DUP and three senior Sinn Féin members, which met the key demand of the order that the Parades Commission be abolished.

The main proposal is to replace the commission with two bodies. The first would have a dialogue and mediation role in terms of all parades.

Where it failed to find agreement or compromise then the second body, which would be 'representative' of the community, would adjudicate on contentious parades.

The draft document was put out for consultation with next Wednesday the deadline for responses. But in Tamlaghtmore Orange Hall in Co Tyrone on Tuesday Grand Lodge members rejected the proposals outright without putting forward any alternative proposals.

That's even though Orange Order sources said that the proposals had the implicit support of most senior officers and alleged that because so many members had other pre-Twelfth of July commitments fewer than 80 Grand Lodge members attended the meeting.

Also, Grand Secretary of the order Drew Nelson - a supporter of the parading changes who could have galvanised support for the proposals - could not attend due to illness.

In a statement, released on Wednesday afternoon, the Order said: "A special meeting of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland was held in County Tyrone and by a majority vote of those present, Grand Lodge decided not to accept the draft parades legislation in its present form as the way forward.

"Grand Lodge officers will meet in the near future to discuss the issue and also the code of conduct which is out for consultation until September."

The original plan proposed new legislation aimed at avoiding conflict over marches. It was hoped the new legislation would come into effect next year.

(BMcC/GK)