The North’s First Minister Peter Robinson has offered to meet Orangemen and nationalist residents over the long-running Drumcree parade dispute
The annual parade has again been prohibited from the nationalist Garvaghy Road area of Portadown, Co Armagh tomorrow. The decision maintains the policy of refusing permission for the Portadown lodge of the Orange Order to return to its lodge through the nationalist area in the absence of a locally agreed accommodation.
Mr Robinson said today that common sense should find a solution to the dispute which has in the past sparked serious violent disturbances across the North.
Mr Robinson said today he had written to both the Orange District and residents’ “in good faith and I hope that they will feel able to respond in a positive manner.
“By demonstrating a common sense approach, I am certain that we can find a way
through on this issue.
“I will do all I can to help progress this matter to a consensual conclusion but I would be equally content if in the preliminary discussions the two parties agree on some other approach or arrangement which might reach the outcome that everyone in Portadown and indeed throughout Northern Ireland wishes to see.”
A spokesman for the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition (GRRC) has said his request had been accepted and a meeting would take place later next week.
The Parades Commission, which rules on contentious marches, said in a statement that it was “unchanged in its view that local accommodation is the best way to achieve a resolution; that those involved should work towards this resolution; and that there continues to be a sincere desire among people on all sides for some form of acceptable outcome which will allow Portadown to move on.”
It confirmed that “a significant number of meetings with both sides” has been held.
“These steps reflect a genuine and sincere effort on the part of the commission to establish a basis whereby the issues surrounding this particular parade can be discussed and resolved.
‘‘The commission is firm in its view that it does not see the current situation in Portadown as a long-term resolution to the parading dispute in the area.”
The commission believes the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition “is willing to become involved in dialogue which does not rule out any particular route and which includes all options surrounding the parade and its route”.
However, it also recognises that the residents do not believe that the circumstances for dialogue with the parade organisers have been met particularly in regard to the scope of any discussions on the route.
It said: “In the commission’s view the willingness of Portadown LOL No1 to engage in direct discussions represents a significant advance.”