asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he raised the Loyalist march in Keady, County Armagh at the most recent meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Keady (Armagh) Loyalist March.
5.
I know the House will join with me in welcoming the generally quiet passage of the 12th of July period in Northern Ireland.
The last meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference on 24 May 1989 was concerned exclusively with the conclusion of the review of the working of the Conference and the question of the 12th of July parades did not, therefore, arise. I can inform the Deputy, however, that the Government's concerns about a number of parades were presented through the Anglo-Irish Secretariat in Belfast and were the subject of the most detailed exchanges in the Secretariat in the weeks leading up to the 12th
In particular, the Government directed that the question of the parade in Keady be raised in the strongest terms with the British authorities. It was quite clear from our contacts with local nationalist opinion that the proposed parade in Keady was greatly resented. This is a small, overwhelmingly nationalist town. In fact, my attention has been drawn to remarks by a representative of the Orange Order indicating that there are only two members of the Orange Order living in the town.
In the Government's view, the parade should not have been permitted through the town centre and that view was forcefully communicated to the British authorities.
The Government recognise the right of peaceful demonstration but they also recognise the principle that parades in Northern Ireland should not go where they are clearly not acceptable and where, on the basis of past experience, there is a serious risk of disruption, disorder and damage to property.
We recognise the difficulties facing the Northern Authorities in maintaining public order at this time of the year. We also accept that progress has been made in the more effective and impartial policing of parades in recent years. However, the kind of situation which occurred in Keady this year, and which has occurred in other overwhelmingly nationalist towns in the past, is clearly unacceptable. I will be pursuing this matter with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at the earliest opportunity.
I appreciate that the meeting of the Conference in May was concerned with the review of the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Would the Minister agree that cannot be advanced as an excuse or reason for the Irish Government not fulfilling their obligations under the agreement, that they must look at forthcoming events and, if they consider such will cause problems, ascertain how they can be avoided? Would the Minister agree that there is no visible, forthcoming event, over 300 years in the North of Ireland, than what is known as the marching season? Nobody wants to deprive the Unionist community of marching in their areas, celebrating their history or fulfilling their traditions in any way but where marches are deliberately designed to be provocative, then it is the obligation of the co-chairman — as an aside, I presume the Minister has been appointed by the Government as co-chairman of the Anglo-Irish Agreement?
I have, yes.
——then there is the obligation on the co-chairman of the Conferene to look at these events and ensure that what has been a cause of division and tension in the North of Ireland for 300 years is avoided in the future because that is what the Anglo-Irish Agreement is about?
I understand the concern expressed by Deputy Barry in his supplementary question. There is not any great difference between us on the approach but I want the Deputy to understand that the last meeting of the Conference was for a specific purpose, already well known. Since then, because of the circumstances with which we had to contend, the Government felt that the views mentioned in my earlier reply about the parade in question should be conveyed in the strongest possible terms through the Secretariat which the Deputy knows full well is a very important and effective conduit on occasions such as these. There is no doubt in my mind, and I am sure Deputy Barry will agree, that the other side were left in no doubt whatsoever as to what were our views in this instance. I propose to raise the matter at the next meeting of the Conference.
Would the Minister agree that if the Anglo-Irish Agreement is to be measured as a success in any way, it must achieve a position in which any group of citizens wanting to march peacefully in any part of this country — whether in their own areas, as described by the previous speaker — can do so. That should be the only rule of thumb used at the end of the day to judge its success. By way of emphasising that point, I ask Members to consider carefully their phraseology when they talk about Loyalist, Nationalist or other groups and talk about their own areas. If we substitute women, blacks or travellers and then talk about these people marching in their areas only, we will realise we are talking tribal politics. We should really be pursuing, through the Anglo-Irish Agreement as the method that exists, a normalisation of society in Northern Ireland which will enable groups of people, regardless of their politics, so long as they are prepared to march peacefully, to march in any part of this country.
I am sure I am expressing a common view of all those present when I say we are all relieved that the parade passed off peacefully. Many parades cause no difficulty but unfortunately there are a number of Loyalist parades which are triumphalist and provocative. In regard to Keady, it is difficult to understand why thousands of people should wish to travel to a town to parade against the wishes of the inhabitants.
I know all deputies will share my hope that progress in Northern Ireland will eventually lead to a position where parades, whether orange or green, will be accepted everywhere. However, a condition of genuine reconciliation and dialogue between Unionists and Nationalists is mutual recognition and acceptance of each other's rights. The identities of both communities in Northern Ireland must be recognised and respected. These principles are reiterated in the preamble to the Anglo-Irish Agreement. We believe that very many Unionists, whatever their views on the Agreement, will subscribe to them and we expect the British authorities to make every effort to implement them.