Ministers Square Up Over Parades Issue

In spite of working closely together on such issues as their joint condemnation of recent racist attacks, the First and Deputy First Ministers were this week at loggerheads over loyal order parades.

First Minister Peter Robinson hit out at comments by his Executive colleague, the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

He said the Orange Order had "yet to make an effort to support a lasting peace".

Mr McGuinness even warned that republicans could "not be expected to permanently steward loyalist parades that passed through Catholic areas" in the face of local opposition.

In response, Mr Robinson said republicans had themselves contributed to parade tensions and called on Sinn Fein to promote a tolerance of loyal order parades.

"The comments by Martin McGuinness are an abdication of leadership by Sinn Fein on the parades issue," he said.

"His comments totally ignore the fact that Sinn Féin has a legacy of opposing and organising protests against loyal order parades right across Northern Ireland.

"The loyal orders are an integral part of our culture but there is intolerance towards parades by many in the nationalist and republican community.

"Rather than play to the gallery, Martin McGuinness should demonstrate leadership by promoting greater tolerance and respect of parades.

"This is the kind of maturity which will be required if we are to see a resolution to the parades issue."

But, playing down his earlier comments, Mr McGuinness also said that hundreds of Orange Order parades took place each year, but only a handful now caused controversy.

He said, however, the Order had to act to defuse tensions as other groups including republicans, loyalists and political parties had done during the peace process.

"The days of republicans stretching ourselves and our communities to maintain calm in the face of sectarian provocation cannot last forever," he said.

"It is time for the issue of contested parades to be dealt with once and for all."

(BMcC)