A working group responsible for examining the issue of parading has held its first discussions at Stormont, with Junior minister Gerry Kelly describing the atmosphere as "business-like".
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Parades group criticised
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Contentious parades
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Parades working group
The panel of six Sinn Fein and DUP MLAs has agreed to meet every day to find a way forward on the handling of contentious parades.
Read Ken Reid's Politics blog:Waiting for Reg
Stephen Moutray, Nelson McCausland and Jeffrey Donaldson from the DUP, and Gerry Kelly, Michelle Gildernew and John O'Dowd from Sinn Fein will report back to the First and Deputy First Ministers in three weeks, putting forward agreed solutions which they believe are capable of achieving cross community support.
"We have not said that we will sort out the issue of contentious parades in two or three weeks, we will try to put together a structure that will make it easier," Gerry Kelly said after Tuesday's meeting which lasted around an hour.
"It has to be sorted out between the residents and the people who march in those areas, making dialogue and resolution easier.
"We are not trying to bring forward some miracle."
The working group has been criticised by the SDLP and UUP for not including the other parties and non-political experts.
Mr Kelly said they planned to involve other "stakeholders" but were reporting to the First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
"The Agreement was hard fought for. We intend to move forward with as much speed as possible because we know this is important," he added.
'Useful'
Lagan Valley DUP MLA Jeffrey Donaldson said it was a very useful first meeting and he and Mr Kelly would co-chair future gatherings.
Mr Donaldson said the parades group would complete its work next week.
He added a resolution to the issue was essential to build public confidence.
"We will stick with the timetable agreed at Hillsborough, we want to get agreement in principle on how we move the parades issue forward," he added.
"We need agreement by the beginning of March on the parades issue, then of course the timetable proceeds as indicated at Hillsborough," he said.
"We will also be taking the opportunity to consult widely with the various stakeholders who have an interest in resolving the parading issue, we will be talking to the other parties and to those involved in parades."
Earlier Mr Donaldson told UTV the group would look at the Ashdown review of parades which was commissioned to try to find a way to deal with contentious parades.
"We believe this provides the building blocks on which a new framework for parading can be developed in Northern Ireland," Mr Donaldson said.
"We would like to see a new process which upholds the rights of those who want to engage in public assembly in a peaceful way."
In the Hillsborough deal, Sinn Fein and the DUP stated their commitment to a new and improved framework fashioned by all stakeholders and maximising cross community support.
On Friday loyal orders, who organise thousands of parades across Northern Ireland each year, welcomed the promise of a new system for overseeing parades, but Catholic residents' groups expressed concerns over any changes.
The government-appointed Parades Commission, which currently adjudicates on contentious marches, is likely to be axed.
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