Parade talks at Brownlow House

The meeting saw the three DUP members of the Parades Working Group address senior Orange Order officers on proposals for a new Parades Commission.

The specially arranged meeting took place on Tuesday evening with up to 40 officers from the institution’s nine county lodges, including three in the Republic of Ireland, in attendance.

Stephen Moutray, Jeffrey Donaldson and Nelson McCausland, who are negotiating with Sinn Fein to create a framework for a new parades adjudication process, briefed invited guests on the proposed reform.

It’s understood similar meetings took place on Tuesday afternoon with Apprentice Boys and the Independent Loyal Orange Institution.

On Saturday the Grand Lodge will meet to thrash out the issue of parades blocked by residents’ groups.

Local Parades Working Group member, Stephen Moutray, said: "The DUP has long argued that we need a new start to parading. The Parades Commission has always been part of the problem rather than part of the solution and we have been meeting with groups across the province to discuss the new structures and new start for parades that the current proposals provide."

He continued: “In Upper Bann we are only too aware of how the Parades Commission has rewarded the intransigence of residents' groups and punish the genuine and positive steps taken by the Loyal Orders.

“This meeting represents a vital part of our engagement with the Loyal Orders, bands forums and other stakeholders and will provide them with an opportunity to feed directly into the process of replacing the Parades Commission with new structures which can command confidence within the community."

Sinn Fin MLA John O’ Dowd has said the meeting between the Loyal Orders and the three DUP members of the Parades Working Group in Lurgan is a matter for them.

Mr O' Dowd commented further: "Sinn Fin is willing to meet all sides in the parades dispute and have and will continue to meet residents and residents groups, that invite also goes out to the Marching Orders.

"The Parades Working Group is tasked with publishing a report on how a new improved framework for adjudicating on contentious parades will operate. I am confident that that we can achieve the full implementation of the Hillsborough agreement on parades and policing as well as all other aspects of the Agreement.”