Talks continue over parade dispute

Retaining powersharing is “the most important thing” in the Drumcree dispute talks, the Northern Ireland Secretary has said, adding the tensions threaten investment.

Speaking to reporters, Sir Chris Bryant said: “The most important thing is we have to have powersharing.

“We’re 28 years after the Good Friday Agreement. I think everybody wants a peaceful Northern Ireland.

“I feel frustrated that we’re only just announcing that we’ve had the best economic growth of any place in the United Kingdom and there are enormous opportunities to seize hold of.

“But every time we have problems like this, it makes people go ‘Oh, hang on, hang on. Is Northern Ireland the right place to invest?’

“So, I want to say ‘yes, yes, yes’. Let’s exploit every economic opportunity. We can only do that if we have a fully-functioning political system in Northern Ireland.”

Michelle O’Neill said that allowing an Orange Order march to go through the Garvaghy Road goes to the “very heart and essence” of the Good Friday Agreement.

“In the Good Friday Agreement, it says that this community is entitled to live free from hate and sectarianism, free from fear,” the First Minister said.

“But exactly what’s happening today is a community that is living in fear, that is being intimidated, and that does have the threat of a march.

“So, it does go to the heart of power-sharing.

“It does go to the heart of politics here. I will stand by this and defend this community’s rights every day.

“We will continue to stand with the residents of the Garvaghy Road. They do not deserve to have this inflicted on them.

“There are those in political unionism that want the days of unionist domination and they want this march to be a triumphalist sectarian and just lording it over this community.

“That is not going to be acceptable or going to wash with anybody.

“For my part, I want to make politics work here, but I live in the world of 2026.

“I believe in fairness and equality across the board. But what I don’t believe is we have to have a society that’s dictated by the DUP’s consent. That’s not acceptable.”

The DUP has insisted it cannot be business as usual at Stormont as the party vowed to take action against Sinn Féin after senior members, including the First Minister, participated in an unlawful protest against a loyal order parade.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson had been facing calls from unionist rivals to collapse the powersharing institutions over the furore around the Drumcree parade in Portadown but he opted for a different approach on Monday, making clear he did not intend to be “reckless”.

However, Mr Robinson said his party would pursue a “pathway” and initiate a “range of actions”.

He said that would include complaints to the Assembly’s Commissioner for Standards, calls for censure and motions of no confidence.

He said there was also a “clear requirement” for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to “prosecute anyone who has broken the law”.