“I have had two very useful meetings, one with the representatives from
the Garvaghy Road residents group another with the representatives of the
Portadown District Orange and I found that there is sufficient of an overlap in
their positions to allow a meeting to take place between the two groups. I hope
that can be arranged. I think both of them are prepared to sit down with the
other. There are issues in relation to the agenda which I believe can be sorted
out having heard the position of both of the groups and I think both would be
content that the Chair designate of the Parades Commission would chair such
discussions.
I would hope to talk later today or tomorrow to Mrs Shepherd and
hopefully she can advance from there. But I found that while both groups clearly
have their own views as to what should happen in the future there was a
willingness to meet, providing people weren’t putting down preconditions. I
found that both of the groups were prepared to meet on the basis where they
would be able to articulate their view in relations to parades, parading and
parade routes in Portadown and I believe that is the way forward. I hope that
the agenda can be fixed and a meeting take place.
I believe what we need is an agreed outcome and I don’t think there will
be anyone who will say that if the parties to the dispute can agree an outcome
that we will stand in the way of it. The way forward is to get a consensual
arrangement that allows the Orange men and the Garvaghy residents to be
content.”
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