Abolishing Commission would be mistake - SDLP

The British government will be making a grave mistake if it were to abolish the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, nationalists warned tonight.

As they prepared to meet members of the commission, an SDLP delegation headed by party leader Mark Durkan condemned proposals that the commission should be replaced by two separate bodies.

The recommendation in the Quigley Report was condemned by Mr Durkan who said it would be “a travesty if, just as we are making progress, the British government were to act on the report and scrap the Parades Commission.

“The SDLP believe that Quigley’s report is fundamentally flawed and that the clear majority of its recommendations should be rejected outright.

“Implementing Quigley would cause huge uncertainty. It would also leave the police making key decisions on parades – decisions that they should not have to make.

“Above all, it would remove the incentive for marching orders and residents to engage in dialogue.”

The Parades Commission was established in 1998 to adjudicate on whether controversial marches by the Protestant Orange Order, Apprentice Boys and Royal Black Preceptory should be restricted.

Unionist politicians have wanted its replacement, hardening their demands as Orangemen were barred from marching down the nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown since 1998.

The Quigley Report recommended the replacement of the commission with two bodies.

One of the groups would act as a mediator between rival sides. The other body would make the decision on parades.

Mr Durkan was accompanied tonight by his deputy leader Brid Rodgers, Coleraine councillor John Dallat and the SDLP’s East Belfast representative Leo Van Es.

The SDLP leader said it was clear nobody wanted the Quigley Report including residents, the marching orders and the police.

“Our message to the British government is that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” he argued.

“The commission is working well enough and must be allowed to get on with its work.

“The Government has to make clear before the height of the marching season that the Parade’s Commission is going to be supported – not scrapped – over the coming years.

“Otherwise, there will be no reason for people to work with it.”