Parades 'not price of policing' - Adams

Published Thursday, 28 January 2010

Devolution cannot be held hostage to a resolution on parades, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams warned as a plenary session went underway at Hillsborough Castle in a bid to break the deadlock.

Mr Adams said: "Anybody who thinks that the price of policing and justice is a walk down the Garvaghy Road (Drumcree) or through Ardoyne (north Belfast), it is just ridiculous."

"Let's deal with the issues sensibly, let's do our best to make sure the outstanding matters of this agreement are implemented."

The Sinn Fein President briefed party officers on Thursday, ahead of a plenary session with other parties at Hillsborough.

Sinn Fein and the DUP have until Friday to resolve their differences on devolution, parades, the Irish language, north/south co-operation and the unfinished bill of rights, or the British and Irish governments will publish their own proposals.

If there is no deal Sinn Fein could walk out of the power-sharing government, triggering fresh elections.

"Nothing is going to be sorted out if it is talked up as absolute.

"We still don't have an agreement but it isn't over until it is over," Mr Adams added.

DUP Finance Minister Sammy Wilson said his party was in the "mindset" to do a deal. He added they were capable of making a sustainable agreement which members could stand by without the help of the two premiers.

"I would rather have a 'Made in Ulster' deal than something which is brought here and imposed on us, whether a suggestion or a proposal from London or Dublin," he said.

"A "Made in Ulster" deal will stick, a proposal from London or Dublin will mean that in some way we are seen as incapable of dealing with these things."

Mr Wilson was asked about parades. "As far as individual marches are concerned I don't think that's the job of negotiators," he said, adding they required working at a local level.

"To think politicians guarantee outcomes, I think is really living in cloud cuckoo land," he added.

Nationalist SDLP leader Mark Durkan said there were papers being exchanged and people were focused on the issues.

"I still think the parties can get there," he added optimistically.

"There is a bit more perspective being shown today, people have a bigger sense of the importance of individual issues but also the importance of the overall picture here, making sure we have devolution, that it is stable and it goes forward.

"Stalemate, stand-off and recrimination coming out of here is not going to do anything for the reputation of politics in general."

Meanwhile, Irish President Mary McAleese, who attended a police college event for new recruits in Belfast, praised the sacrifices of the PSNI.

"We were reminded earlier this week of how real and present remain the difficulties of building that shared future," she said.

The plenary talks at Hillsborough Castle are expected to last well into the night.

Comments

6 Comments

joanohare in newry city wrote (845 days ago):

I believe the DUP should not act for the Orange Order, We should not be subjected to Orange Order ruling Northern Ireland, they could act for themselves, there are a legal point people who find contenious marches undesireable must have rights too. There also is the cost of policing of Orange marches, when the money is needed for health services, education, etc, and the summer season has too many marches here. The Orange Order is secternian and the application to be in the Order is one must be protestant. they said it is a christian order, and tradition is marching where they wish. it is used for political power. we would like to have our peace process and full devolved powers and the issue was not about paraides, but foolishly Dup had throw this in, as they wanted commisser of parades scrapped, The issue was only policing ad justice to set date which they keep making excuses to delay full devolved powers, instead of acting like politicions they acted for the Orange Order, maybe they could change their party name to the Orange party since the Orange Order is not politicions, and never were ellected.

liberal protestant in Larne wrote (845 days ago):

Direct Rule? Whatever British government that is in power after May 6th is going to slash spending on Northern Ireland. & that means longer waits for cancer patients, and less help for the disabled. So think hard about the dreams of returning to Direct rule. On the other hand, we have been offered a hand shake of millions if we can sort our own affairs out.

Jim in USA wrote (846 days ago):

It never ceases to amaze me how people can point the finger at both parties as complicit in this mess. The only party that refuses to work on an equal and shared bases is the DUP. However that's not surprising as it seems the orange order are calling the shots for the DUP. To bad the DUP do not have one politician with leadership qualities.

Derek McDowell in Australia wrote (846 days ago):

Sammy is dead right; this agreement must be a "Made in Ulster" deal if it is to work. As an Ulsterman living in Australia and removed from the situation on the ground, it seems to me that something is missing in the comments I'm reading. Surely it is absolutely necessary for devolved powers to have the ability to fairly deal with ALL matters. As far as parades are concerned, it can't just be the legal aspects of Orange marches. There are Hibernian, military and youth organisation marches, to mention just three others. The ability for the police to uphold the law fairly for everyone is essential. If the MLAs are allowed to agree on a level playing field for everyone then maybe there is a chance that all parades can be enjoyed by everyone! Dreaming? Why not?? Think of the benefits; go on, I dare you!

Paul in Toronto wrote (847 days ago):

I think Sammy hit the nail on the head. "we are seen as incapable of dealing with these things." Sammy is right.

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