Debate contribution: Parades Commission: Drumcree Determination
Debate contribution by Mr Doug Beattie MC on .
- MLA
- Mr Doug Beattie MC
- Party at the time
- Independent
- Date
- 28 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Matter of the Day
- Heading
- Parades Commission: Drumcree Determination
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5761730
Read the official Assembly record
Text
There will be many varied views on Drumcree. They all have some merit, but there is simply no consensus on it. That is why the courts had to look at it following the Parades Commission's determination. However, it goes far wider than Drumcree. Far more other issues need to be dealt with. First, we have to look at the Parades Commission. Having listened to what Members on all sides of the House have said, I say that it is clear that the Parades Commission no longer has the confidence of the House.
It is no longer fit for purpose and cannot continue. The Secretary of State needs to do something to rectify the situation, because it cannot go on that one side applauds the Parades Commission when it makes a decision that suits it, while the other side disses it, and vice versa. The Parades Commission is therefore a real issue. One of the other main issues is adherence to the rule of law. We must have the rule of law in Northern Ireland, but Sinn Féin seems to be putting itself well above it. It is not just about standing in the middle of the Garvaghy Road with arms linked or standing there to protest. Cars were brought in to block the road. Lawful citizens from throughout the town and surrounding areas were unable to transit the Garvaghy Road because cars were blocking their way. That was unlawful. Lawfulness is a cornerstone of any society. We must think about that. I am incredibly disappointed in those elected MLAs who did not abide by the rule of law. I will be clear: I did not want the march that went past Scarva to happen and made representations to that effect, but do you know what? It did, because it was allowed to go past. I adhered to the rule of law and did not block it, and that is what I expect to happen right across Northern Ireland. It is what I expect from the Assembly. It is what I expect from us. We hold people to account but cannot even hold ourselves to account. Our Executive are now led by somebody who openly and flagrantly breaks the law, and we allow that. My final point is about the police. The police are in an impossible position. We should not turn our fire on them. They have an important job to do, which is to safeguard the public, promote law and order and detect crime. It is not their issue that other people decided to break the law, so, please, let us not turn our fire on the police. Let us make sure that we direct it at where it needs to be directed: at a failing Parades Commission and at the lawbreakers who stood on the Garvaghy Road.
469 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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