Statement from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on Drumcree Parade
The Secretary of State has now considered the Section 9 request from the Chief Constable of the PSNI and has reviewed the determination. He has now made an order under Section 11.
Statement from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Sir Chris Bryant MP:
Everyone wants to see an end to the stand-off between the Portadown District Loyal Orange Lodge and the residents of the Garvaghy Road as soon as possible.
I have spent the last fortnight trying to get a mutually acceptable agreement between the two sides, hosting several rounds of negotiations at Hillsborough Castle last week and maintaining frequent contact with both sides since then.
Unfortunately it has not been possible to achieve a local resolution. I have therefore been intensively considering all options for bringing this dispute to an end.
I don’t think anyone wants to see the stand-off continue into another weekend, with the consequent risk of protests spreading to other parts of Northern Ireland and the further deterioration of community relations. Nobody wants a return to the past, which is why people want this stand-off to end - and end soon.
Earlier today the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland made an application to me under Section 9 of the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act.
As required by law, I have now reviewed the initial determination made by the Parades Commission relating to the application made by the Portadown District for 27 September, 2026.
I have consulted the Chief Constable and the Parades Commission.
The Chief Constable has advised me that it would not be possible to enable the procession to happen without a major intervention which would carry an unacceptable risk of serious injury, disorder and a wider contagion effect across Northern Ireland.
The Parades Commission have also advised me that ’While ultimately a matter for the courts to determine, the Commission is of the view that, in light of this current assessment by the Chief Constable, the original determination does not now have enduring legal effect.
Consequently, and in the interests of wider public interest and safety, I’ve come to the conclusion that the circumstances under which that decision was made have now changed considerably.
As a result, the procession cannot go ahead as it was determined.
I have not taken this decision lightly. As the courts affirmed, the Portadown District had a lawful determination from the Parades Commission allowing the procession. I want to thank the Portadown LOL No 1 for their peaceful and law-abiding approach and their co-operation at all points with the PSNI.
Respect for the rule of law is fundamental to our society and I am grateful to those who have behaved peacefully and legally and sought to ease tensions in their respective communities. Those who have acted unlawfully should face the consequences of their actions.
I am also grateful to all those who took part in good faith in the negotiations at Hillsborough. I heard the concerns of people on all sides and I only regret that we could not reach a compromise on a way forward and that many residents across Portadown have felt anxious and worried.With this in mind, I call for all protests, rallies and demonstrations to be stood down. There is no excuse for a continued ratcheting up of tensions.
The community in Portadown has been on the sharp end of intense attention for a number of weeks. It will take time to rebuild relations. The least we can all do now is give them breathing space. Looking ahead we will need to work together to help repair the damage that has been done and to resolve this issue.
I will continue to do all I can to bring the community together over the coming weeks and months.