Dáil debates

Wednesday, 20 February 2013

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions

Northern Ireland Marching Season

1:25 pm

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy that this is very much on our agenda. The Parades Commission was established at the height of the Drumcree parade related violence under the 1998 Act and the policy underpinning this was to remove from the police the dual responsibility of taking decisions on parades and then having to police their own decisions. The Government strongly supports the work, mandate and role of the commission. I do not want to talk about the judicial review that is imminent for obvious reasons but in view of forthcoming parades, which will pass through Short Strand and other interfaces in Belfast, both the Irish and British Governments are of the view that the commission needs to be strongly supported and that its determinations must be respected. I urge all parties to engage with local residents at interfaces to identify compromise solutions that respect the wishes of both marchers and communities and we will continue our efforts to work with the Northern Ireland political leadership on these issues.

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