Lodges break ranks with Orange Order over New Decade New Approach deal

Twelve Co Armagh Orange lodges have spoken out ahead of an Orange summit on the new Stormont agreement, to attack the deal and the Ulster-Scots commissioner in it “that nobody was asking for”.
The new five party power-sharing Executive at Stormont which was formed after the completion of the New Decade New Approach deal. Photo: PacemakerThe new five party power-sharing Executive at Stormont which was formed after the completion of the New Decade New Approach deal. Photo: Pacemaker
The new five party power-sharing Executive at Stormont which was formed after the completion of the New Decade New Approach deal. Photo: Pacemaker

Markethill District LOL No 10, made up of 12 lodges, made the point while the order itself is withholding comment ahead of a summit on January 30.

Previously the order expressed opposition to the “weaponising” of Irish through a stand-alone Irish act, though pro-Irish campaigners say the final deal falls far short of their hopes.

In a statement, the lodges said that while Irish “should be respected” it opposes protections in the new deal “which were, in effect, stand-alone legislative provision”.

It also claimed that the proposed Ulster-Scots/British commissioner “had not been requested by its community [and] was ill thought out” and that the provisions for which are “substantially weaker” than for the proposed Irish language commissioner.

It accused the two main unionist parties of failing to consult with its core vote before signing the deal “in contrast to republican representatives”, and that this was “part of a clear pattern”.

Calling for a public discussion with Co Armagh MLAs, it also queried why unionists signed a deal jointly drafted by “the Republic’s foreign minister” while funding cuts for unionist communities have “accelerated”.

The DUP responded that the deal is “fair and balanced”, giving a new Ulster British commissioner, veterans commissioner, Armed Forces Covenant implementation, 2021 celebrations, structural actions funded to promote Britishness, Craigavon House restoration, a Castlereagh Foundation to promote the Union, and a “cultural and community fund for halls”.

But the UUP took a different tack, saying that it “has not signed up to or endorsed” the new deal and that on the first day of the new Assembly it reiterated its opposition to an Irish language act and the Stormont House Agreement legacy provisions within the deal. Throughout talks it stuck rigidly to Good Friday Agreement defined roles for Belfast, London and Dublin, it added.

The party took the health portfolio in the Executive “as it was entitled to” under d’Hondt, having stated before the general election that NI “faced a public health emergency and that health was our number one priority”.

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