Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Government and the British Government are strongly of the view that the Parades Commission must be strongly supported, that its determinations must be respected, and that we support the Police Service of Northern Ireland in the implementation of same.

We must look forward to the parading season this year. While a significant number of discussions are taking place at local level to resolve parading issues, it is fair to say that the recent flag protests have unfortunately raised tensions between both communities and might make it more difficult to promote dialogue and engagement on contentious parades in the coming months. Therefore, I urge all parties to engage with local residents and to identify compromise solutions that respect the wishes of both marchers and community residents. For our part, we will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive and political leaders in Northern Ireland to formulate a strategic framework.

See this speech in context