A radical overhaul of the North's Parades Commission has been confirmed by the Northern Ireland Office with the announcement of seven new commission appointments and the publication of new recommendations for the body.
Mr Anthony Holland, the principal ombudsman with the Personal Investment Authority Ombudsman Bureau in London, and a past president of the law society for England and Wales, becomes the new chairman.
Mr William Martin, a farmer, retains his position on the commission, and the Rev Robert Magee, a retired Presbyterian minister, makes a return after resigning from the body in December 1997.
Five additional appointees were also formally announced yesterday by the Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson. Mr John Cousins, the permanent secretary of the Students' Union at Queen's University; Mr Peter Quinn, a former president of the GAA; Sir John Pringle, a retired high court judge, and Mr Peter Osbourne, the chairman of the Alliance Party.
The commission's make-up has been criticised by nationalists. Ms Brid Rodgers of the SDLP last night expressed concern that an equitable and representative balance had not been achieved. Dr Dara O'Hagan of Sinn Fein criticised the new appointments for the absence of a woman member and for including "only one token nationalist".
Mr Mandelson has also outlined the findings of the review of the workings of the commission which was initiated four months ago. The conclusions place greater emphasis on "engagement" between the loyal orders and residents and stresses the advantage of introducing European standards into local courts for challenges to commission decisions before this summer's marching season.
"The Government's policy has always been to `bring rights home' whilst recognising that rights come with responsibilities. These recommendations further build on the legislation in maintaining that important balance," said Mr Mandelson.
The outgoing chairman of the Parades Commission, Sir Alistair Graham, said he fully supported the review and welcomed the recommendation to introduce the European Convention on Human Rights in some sections of the Public Processions Act.
"We have consistently said that in the absence of agreement at local level, problems are better addressed in the courts rather than on the streets. The European Convention on Human Rights will assist in establishing just what are the limitations on the rights of those who wish to parade in disputed areas and of those who wish to protest."
Last night, the North's Human Rights Commission, established under the Belfast Agreement, welcomed the statement from Mr Mandelson, which confirmed the Human Rights Commission would be consulted over any decision to introduce the Human Rights Acts before October, when it had originally been scheduled for introduction into law.
Prof Brice Dickson, the human rights chief commissioner in Northern Ireland, had criticised the British government for not consulting with his body. He stressed his commission favoured the introduction of the Act but said it should be "introduced positively and with the support of the entire community".
Meanwhile, Mr Paul Berry of the DUP yesterday called for the "destruction" of the Parades Commission. "This unelected quango, since it was implemented, has shown utter contempt towards the Protestant Unionist community, and changing its membership and chairmanship will not help one bit."