O'Neill welcomes decision to ban Drumcree parade

The Taoiseach and Northern Ireland First Minister have welcomed the decision to halt an Orange Order parade along the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, but unionist politicians have criticised the move. Northern Ireland Secretary of State Chris Bryant said that it had not been possible to find accommodation between the Orange Order and the residents of Garvaghy Road, leading to the contentious parade being banned. In a statement, he said that the decision was made in "the interests of wider public interest and safety". Mr Bryant's intervention came following a stand-off of almost two weeks. The Parades Commission last month gave the green light for the first time in almost 30 years for the Portadown District of the unionist Orange Order - backed by the DUP and TUV - to complete its traditional route along the Garvaghy Road. However, a coalition of residents in the largely nationalist area - backed by Sinn Féin, the SDLP and People Before Profit - opposed the march going ahead. They took legal action, which failed before starting a sustained days long protest to prevent the parade from taking place, and since took further action which led to the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal reserving its judgment saying it needed more time to make a decision. The Parades Commission had approved an application for 35 Orangemen to walk along the Garvaghy Road on Sunday 27 September at 8am with no band and no supporters. But the PSNI said they were unable to facilitate the parade despite the ruling due to large-scale protests on the Garvaghy Road. Ms O'Neill hailed the "right decision" by Mr Bryant, but said it should have been made earlier. Speaking on RTÉ's Late Late Show, Ms O'Neill said the Garvaghy Road residents have been living with "constant fear and a cloud hanging over them" that the parade was going to be forced down that road. Michelle O'Neill says 'there is no going back to those days of the past' In terms of the reaction to the decision, she said: "There's tears. There's a bag of emotions. "I mean, these people have been on a rollercoaster over the course of the last fortnight and I think no one ever thought for a second that that the Parades Commission would have, you know, reversed the decision that stood for 28 years." In a joint statement, Sinn Féin party leader Mary Lou McDonald and Ms O'Neill paid tribute to the residents of Garvaghy Road. Both leaders said that there is an "enormous sense of relief" after the move was announced. "For two weeks, local residents have endured fear and anxiety through no fault of their own," the statement said. It added: "They never asked for this wound to be reopened, yet they faced these challenges with courage, determination and enormous resilience. "They now need time and space to heal and recover." The Taoiseach said there is a 'need to concentrate on that which can unite us' The Taoiseach said the decision was made in good faith "to protect life", adding it was not a decision Mr Bryant "took lightly". Mícheál Martin said there is a "need to concentrate on that which can unite us instead of returning to the divisions of the past". He said he understood that people may be angry and may have a "different position to this one". However, the Taoiseach appealed to both sides to "approach this in a calm way and to be understanding that there are different perspectives". He said: "I understand that those on the unionist and loyalist side will look at this through a different prism. "We need to be conscious of that. We need to acknowledge that." But he urged people to focus on the positive progress "that has been made over decades on these issues, and also in terms of peace and stability in Northern Ireland, and the need to concentrate and focus on building up community relations". Mr Martin urged communities to be mindful of the younger generation, adding: "We need to move on." Breandán Mac Cionnaith from the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition said rerouting the parade away from the road was the only "sensible, reasonable and logical outcome". Mr Mac Cionnaith said the announcement was not a cause for celebration as he reflected on those people who lost their lives in violence linked to the Drumcree disputes of the 1990s. "While this is a win for us tonight, it is one that is tinged with sadness and with loss," he said. The announcement, he said, should mark a "starting point" to rebuilding strained community relations in Portadown. "There are relationships here in Portadown that need to be built and rebuilt and certainly our community here in Portadown is prepared to undertake that journey," he said. Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said 'any concept of a new Ireland died' However, there was criticism of the move. Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said "any concept of a new Ireland died" following Mr Bryant's intervention. She accused Ms O’Neill and Sinn Féin of "utter recklessness", adding they had shown a "disregard for stability and our institutions, I believe in responsibility". In a post on X, Ms Little-Pengelly said: "I have always embraced those who are different from who I am and endeavoured to show respect. "I have witnessed the tradition I come from treated with such utter contempt and hatred." She added that she has been "deeply, deeply offended by the way my traditions and culture have been described, treated and expressed". DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the "the rule of law has been fundamentally undermined" by the development. Mr Robinson said the the Northern Ireland Secretary of State’s decision is "a direct result of Republican agitation, mobilisation and the looming threats of potential violence". "These decisions are a mistake, and send profound signals that the country should be run on force of numbers and who shouts the loudest," he added. The Portadown District of the Orange Order said it was "disgusted, but not surprised at the decision of the Secretary of State to rescind the lawful decision of the Parades Commission". "It is a very sad day in Northern Ireland that the law of the land cannot not be upheld," it added.