Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. Parades and flags are major divisive issues in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, in 2013 parading remains a major risk to civic stability in the North. I live near the Border and have contacts in the North. I speak to people every weekend from County Fermanagh and elsewhere. There is a lot of nervousness about the upcoming parading season. The season started earlier than usual this year, around Christmas. We have had the fall-out from the flags protest violence in December and January. From contacts in Belfast and media reports, it appears that some communities such as the Short Strand enclave in east Belfast have effectively endured a continuous parading season because of the fall-out of the flags feud. That is not acceptable for any community. It also raises tensions.

Does the Tánaiste agree that the decision of the First Minister last summer to co-sign an open letter condemning the Parades Commission and its determination sent the wrong message? It was a wrong decision and sent the wrong message to all communities who want peace and stability. Did the Tánaiste and Taoiseach raise that with First Minister when they met him? People who are part of the process cannot co-sign a letter objecting to a determination by the Parades Commission and nor can the First Minister. A determination by the Parades Commission is a legal document.

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