20/04/2012

New Initiative Launched To Resolve Parading Disputes

Former speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Lord John Alderdice, has been asked to take on an initiative by the Parades Commission to resolve parading disputes in Ardoyne, north Belfast.

Fr Gary Donegan and Rev Norman Hamilton will also take part in the new initiative.

SF north Belfast Assembly member Gerry Kelly commented: "There have been a number of efforts over many years to resolve the issue of contentious parades in Ardoyne. I wish this latest initiative well and look forward to meeting with them.

"However we need to be realistic. Every initiative in the past failed on the basis that the Orange Order has steadfastly refused to engage in meaningful dialogue with the community they seek to march through and even refuse to talk to the Parades Commission.

"For a resolution to be found this arrogant stance needs to change. In the week that the Orange Order received significant amounts of EU funding to contribute to peace building and reconciliation their continuing refusal to talk to local nationalist communities is even more untenable."

(CD/GK)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

25 November 2024
DfI Outlines Congestion Mitigation Measures In Belfast City Centre
The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has announced a series of measures aimed at alleviating traffic congestion in Belfast City Centre. A strategic oversight group, comprising the DfI, Belfast City Council, PSNI, and Translink, has been formed to identify and implement effective solutions to reduce peak-time delays.
25 November 2024
Visit Belfast Celebrates 25 Years of Transforming Tourism Landscape
Visit Belfast, the city's dedicated Destination Marketing and Management Organisation (DMMO), is celebrating a quarter-century of success.
22 November 2024
Pedestrian Injured In Belfast Hit-and-Run
The PSNI have issued an appeal for information following a hit-and-run incident in the Botanic Avenue area of Belfast in the early hours of Thursday morning. Officers were called to the scene shortly before 1.30am after a male pedestrian was struck by a maroon Mazda. Despite being injured, the pedestrian left the area before police arrived.
22 November 2024
Winter's Den: A Festive Wonderland In Belfast City Centre
Belfast city centre is getting ready to spread some festive cheer with the opening of Winter's Den at 2 Royal Avenue. The former Tesco Metro has been transformed into a magical winter wonderland, offering a packed programme of free events and activities for people of all ages.
21 November 2024
Attempted Carjacking In West Belfast
Police are investigating an attempted carjacking in west Belfast on Tuesday, November 19th. At around 5:30pm, a man entered a parked car at Hillhead Court and attempted to steal it. A woman passenger was assaulted when she resisted the man's demands. The suspect, described as a man in his 20s wearing all black, fled the scene on foot.