'No veto for Orange Order' says Sinn Fein MLA

THE Orange Order's rejection of new parades legislation should not be allowed to veto the establishment of a new framework to address the issue of parades, according to local MLA John O'Dowd.

By The Newsroom

Published 4th Oct 2010, 16:48 BST

Updated 5th Oct 2010, 19:42 BST

Pointing out that the fact that there is a parading issue at all is entirely down to past failures by the Orange Order to reach accommodation on a small number of contentious parades, Mr O’Dowd said: “The legislation is an important part of the outworking of the Hillsborough Castle Agreement.

"The Orange Order was not party to that Agreement and they cannot be afforded a veto over progress to resolve the issue of parades. Instead of allowing the Order a veto on new legislation they should be confronted with their responsibilities with respect to parades in general and contentious parades in particular.”

The Sinn Fin MLA called on the DUP to take affirmative action: “The DUP should stop hiding behind the Orange Order and support the introduction of the Parades Bill into the Assembly. The parties that made the agreement at Hillsborough can ensure the Parades Bill passes through the Assembly and becomes legislation."