Published Wednesday, 07 July 2010
The Grand Lodge met in County Tyrone on Tuesday night to consider its response to the plans drafted under the terms of the 2010 Hillsborough agreement.
Read Ken Reid's blog: The Parades Issue
The proposals launched by First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness last April are out for consultation.
Tuesday's meeting was expected to vote on making a submission to the new proposals, but instead it voted on a call to reject the plans.
The proposals calling for the creation of two new organisations to replace the Parades Commission, with a new focus on dialogue, were rejected by a slender majority of 37 to 32, with others abstaining.
In a statement, an Orange Order spokesman said: "By a majority vote of those present, Grand Lodge decided not to accept the draft parades legislation in its present form as the way forward.
"Grand Lodge officers will meet in the near future to discuss the issue and also the code of conduct which is out for consultation until September."
'Mixed feelings'
Speaking at the launch of Orangefest, the County Grand Master of Belfast, Tom Haire, told UTV there were "mixed feelings" on the proposals.
"In any event the institution still wants to see the demise of the Parades Commission, which we feel was anti-Orange and would go against our culture every time", he added.
Ulster Unionist MLA and prominent Orange Order member David McNarry has rejected any suggestion that the Order would be persuaded to accept the proposals.
"The Orange Order doesn't mess about," he said.
"It may take a while to reach a decision, but once it does there is no way it will change its mind.
"This is a very clear message from the Orange institution and people should respect it. The matter will now have to be dealt with."
In a signal to the unionist political divisions on the issue, he added: "There will be a lot of DUP members with very red faces."
DUP members of the Assembly's Parades Working Group Jeffrey Donaldson, Nelson McCausland and Stephen Moutray said the DUP was committed to advancing the rights of the loyal orders.
"We are the only party to have put proposals on the table to deal with issues surrounding parading and protests, based upon upholding the fundamental right to freedom of public assembly.
"We are working towards the complete abolition of the Parades Commission - something which we understand all the loyal orders agree is a necessary step."
Sinn Fein MLA John O'Dowd has accused the Orange Order of showing "contempt" for the normal democratic process.
He said the proposals are about trying to improve the "current framework for dealing with the issue of contentious parades."
"What the Orange Order need to do is wake up and realise that they no longer pull the strings. The days of the Orange Order dictating policy are over. The days of the Orange State have gone. This legislation came about as the result of a political agreement between elected parties.
"That is how is should be, not decided in the backroom of some Orange Hall."
The SDLP's Dolores Kelly MLA said the no vote showed that Sinn Fein's hope of dealing with parades was unravelling.
"The whole Hillsborough deal was based on the DUP demanding the Parades Commission's head on a plate at the behest of the Orange Order. Sinn Fein gave in, the Order pocketed its winnings and now, predictably it wants to renege on any replacement body," she said.