Statement by TUV vice-chairman Keith Harbinson:

“John O’Dowd’s interview in today’s News Letter reveals that the Republican attitude to parades has not changed. He bluntly tells Orangemen:
“In some cases the reality is that a resolution to a particular parading dispute will be no parade”. 
This is a very dangerous starting point for Unionists to enter into any negotiaitions on, but clearly it is the rationale of Republicans.

“It is obvious that Sinn Fein/IRA retain their view that “residents groups” have a veto over the fundamental right of members of the Loyal Orders to freedom of assembly and freedom to parade.

“In his article O’Dowd claims that Republicans didn’t manufacture the problems surrounding parades. This is errant nonsense. Has he forgotten that in the late 1990s Gerry Adams let the cat out of the bag when a tape recoding of an internal Sinn Fein/IRA meeting revealed that he had told them:
“Ask any activist in the north [sic], ‘did Drumcree happen by accident?', and he will tell you, ‘no'. Three years of work on the Lower Ormeau Road, Poradown and parts of Fermanagh and Newry, Armagh and in Bellaghy and up in Derry [sic]. Three years of work went into creating that situation and fair play to those people who put the work in. They are the type of scene changes that we have to focus on and develop and exploit”?

“Republicans are still exploiting parading to further their political aims. Let’s recall that in order to get this working group – comprised of three DUP members and three Shinners, including convicted terrorist Gerry Kelly – the DUP conceded the Republican demand for devolution for policing and justice to a terrorist inclusive executive as well as a host of other Sinn Fein demands.”