Drumcree row not solved
By Ciaran McGuigan
11 June 2006
Portadown Orangemen are preparing for their Drumcree protest to run past the 3,000-day mark - in spite of the court ruling re-instating former District Master David Burrows to the Parades Commission.
A split ruling in the Court of Appeal on Friday went in favour of Secretary of State Peter Hain and declared that the appointment of Orangemen Burrows and Don McKay to the seven-man commission had been political but not unlawful.
But, with just four weeks until the annual Drumcree parade, the court’s ruling is likely to result in further litigation - and potentially a House of Lords hearing - leaving no immediate decision on this year’s parade possible.
Garvaghy Road residents, meanwhile, were consulting with lawyers immediately after last Friday’s hearing.
They object to the conflict of interest in having an Orangeman appointed to the body that decides on Orange marches.
Garvaghy Road Residents spokesman Brendan MacCionnaith: “The fact is that four High Court judges have now ruled on this and two have found for and two against the appointments.
“So this is far from a cut-and-dried case.”
