I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 58 together.
I am very well aware of the long-standing concerns of some communities in Northern Ireland over parading and the potential for violence arising there from. It was to alleviate those concerns that the Parades Commission was established under the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 with independent and quasi-judicial status. I recognise that certain Parades Commission determinations are controversial but that is inevitable given the nature of its role. In the absence of political and local agreement in Northern Ireland to resolve contentious parades, a regulatory mechanism is essential in this area.
Last year the Commission dealt with over 4,000 parade related applications, of which it made determinations on 146 contentious parades. As a quasi-judicial public body the Commission's activities do not fall within the agreed areas of co-operation addressed by the North South Ministerial Council. Successive Irish Government have fully supported the Commission in its difficult work and have consistently called for its legally binding determinations to be respected and upheld.
I have been in contact with Secretary of State Villiers and Minister Ford over the weekend in relation to the deplorable violence which broke out after the 12th of July parade in Belfast. I have expressed the Irish Government's appreciation to Minister Ford for the work of the PSNI in protecting communities from this violence in very difficult circumstances. The attacks on the police which have led to over sixty arrests and over seventy officers being injured are unacceptable and shameful.
The determinations of the Parades Commission are legally binding and respect for the rule of law must be upheld. The Secretary of State and I are at one in our commitment and determination to uphold the law, support the police and the further development of the process of peace and reconciliation in Ireland. I will be meeting with Secretary of State Villiers next week to further discuss parades and other issues of concern.
I welcome the initiative on the part of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to set up an all party group under the chairmanship of Dr Richard Haass to consider a number of outstanding issues in relation to the peace process and parading is one of those. I would call on all concerned to engage constructively in the process.
