Debate contribution: Parades Commission: Drumcree Determination
Debate contribution by Dr Caoimhe Archibald on .
- MLA
- Dr Caoimhe Archibald
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 28 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Matter of the Day
- Heading
- Parades Commission: Drumcree Determination
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5761780
Read the official Assembly record
Text
First, let me say that I am really proud to support the determined and resilient people of the Garvaghy Road, who have conducted themselves with absolute dignity over recent days and weeks. Over the past couple of days, I talked to many people in that community who are utterly dismayed by what has happened and by how some seem so determined to drag us back. They do not understand why the issue, which, they thought, was settled, is being picked at or why their community, which has lived in relative peace for 28 years, is being thrown into turmoil. It is bad enough that you do not care about the fear, the trauma and the re-traumatisation of the Garvaghy Road community, which has been hugely difficult for them. However, what I find galling is that those who regularly and readily pontificate at us about speaking up for this place or not allowing anyone to talk it down seem not to give a thought to how the North is perceived across the world as such events play out. There are people who have been putting in work collectively across our communities over the past three decades building peace, strengthening and regenerating our communities, building our economy to a point where we are world-leading in some sectors and creating a hugely successful tourism offering, but all of that is being undermined by attempts to force an unwanted, triumphalist and sectarian march down the road of a community that does not want it. In the aftermath of the disgraceful race riots a couple of months ago, which, of course, were not helped by the dog-whistling commentary of some Members across the Chamber, I heard concerns from many in our tourism and business sectors that the imagery seen on TV and social media was reminiscent of and reinforcing negative perceptions of this place. The positivity of the fleadh was widely seen as undoing all of that negativity and promoting this place as what it can be and actually is. It seems, though, that some in unionism and loyalism are determined to drag us back. The negative tactics have failed this weekend, and they will continue to fail. Our communities have moved on, and our society has moved on. We have had 28 years of peace and progress to build on. Our people deserve that to be protected, and we will make sure that it is. There is no going back, only forward. We are absolutely determined about that.
414 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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