Debate contribution: Parades Commission: Drumcree Determination

Debate contribution by Mr Paul Givan on 28 September 2026.

MLA: Mr Paul Givan
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 28 September 2026
Type: Debate contribution (made as a minister)
Business: Matter of the Day
Heading: Parades Commission: Drumcree Determination
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5761782

Text

Thirty-five Orangemen, silently parading at 8.00 am on a Sunday on their way home from church: that is what we are talking about in the face of the intolerance, abuse and vilification that has been directed at them. What is their crime? It is purely for being Protestant. That is the sectarian motivation of those who are in opposition to them. I say this to the unionist and loyalist community: do not be goaded by Sinn Féin and republicans. They are engaged in a direct attempt to incite violence and instil hatred. My appeal to those in our communities is this: do not respond to their dog-whistle tactics. Let us contrast the dignity of the Orange Order with the behaviour that was witnessed on the Garvaghy Road, with Sinn Féin Members and Breandán Mac Cionnaith demanding of the people, "Do not let the f-ers down the road". He is an angry man. Do not take my word for it; read what Tony Blair said about him. He has the gold medal for being the most unreasonable of the unreasonable.
That is who is leading Sinn Féin by the nose. No shared society. No equality. No accommodation of 35 silent Orangemen. Not acceptable to Sinn Féin. Sinn Féin is checking out of devolution. Devolution will no longer operate, according to Sinn Féin, on the basis of shared accommodation and equality. It is supremacy. It is majority rule. Sinn Féin will learn the lesson: we will not tolerate that. We will continue to uphold the rights of our people and our rights to have a proper, shared society, not one that is built on how Sinn Féin views it. We will not be led by or intimidated by Colin Duffy standing on the Garvaghy Road. Whenever there is no resolution, the "off-ramp", to quote Mr Burrows, is the law. It is the rule of law when there cannot be an accommodation. This has been lawfully determined and adjudicated by the courts. That is the off-ramp when there is no further mediation that can be followed. On the rulings of the court, Sir Declan Morgan said:
"Adherence to these principles is fundamental to the nurturing and survival of democracy. It is all the more important in a post-conflict society for those in positions of leadership to promote, support and demonstrate assiduous adherence to the principles of the rule of law. Without such leadership, the risk of lapsing back into an openly fractured and lawless society cannot be underestimated. That is the importance of the issues at the heart of this case and that it is why it is vital for this Court to fearlessly" —
— "and impartially proclaim the importance of the principles of the rule of law".
It is the rule of law that must prevail.
Not mob rule.

468 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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