Parades Commission to continue work in 2003

The Parades Commission will continue to review contentious marches in Northern Ireland throughout 2003 despite an independent report recommending that it should be replaced, it was confirmed tonight.

Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy paid tribute to the work of the body as he re-appointed its six members and chairman, Tony Holland, for a further year.

He said: “It should be apparent to all that the level of public disorder associated with the parades issue has reduced over the past few years.

“The Parades Commission has contributed significantly to this outcome and I am delighted that Mr Holland and his colleagues have agreed to remain in post for a further year.”

The Quigley Report on the Parades Commission, which was published for consultation on November 7, 2002, recommended that it should be replaced by two separate bodies.

The review, which was carried out by George Quigley following last year’s Weston Park talks, recommended that one of the new bodies should mediate while the second should make the decision on parades.

The consultation period on the report continues until the end of January when ministers will consider the public reaction and decide how to take the issue forward.

However, officials said it would not be possible to make structural changes in time for the 2003 marching season and so the current commission would remain in office for a further year.

The government established the Parades Commission in 1998 to make decisions on whether controversial parades should be restricted.

Commission rulings which restricted marches by the Protestant loyal orders, opposed by nationalist residents, led to calls by unionist politicians for the body to be scrapped.

However, since its creation, the Orange Order has refused to co-operate with the commission.

The review’s findings were criticised by nationalist politicians and the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Group coalition, who oppose the annual Orange Order march through their area in Portadown, Co Armagh.

However, it was largely welcomed by unionist politicians.