Scottish Independence 'White Paper'

This week Alex Salmond, the talented politician and Scottish First Minister launched a White Paper on independence, outlining the overriding reasons why Scotland should leave the UK and become a separate state. The blueprint for independence details the policies that the SNP would hope to pursue post independence and outlines positions in relation to currency, EU membership, defence, tax, childcare and welfare.

Of course it should be said that the decision on whether Scotland should be an independent country is an issue for the Scottish people. However, the decision of the people of Scotland is likely to have an effect on us here in Ireland.

I personally do not see how an Independent Scotland would be of benefit to Ireland. Ireland has a unique position of being an independent English speaking country within the EU and Eurozone. It has the economic levers to attract investment and tailor economic policy to the needs of the economy. There is a readily available highly educated workforce pouring out of our Universities.

Scottish independence is a threat to this unique position and to the huge FDI in which Ireland receives. Take for example the Europe Asia Trading Hub (EATH) which has been approved planning permission and is to be built in Athlone. Ireland beat off stiff opposition from other European countries for this hugely economically significant project. It's not over the line yet as 'time and space is being afforded to attract the necessary investment'. However, how would one feel if an independent Scotland made a play for this facility and snatched it from Ireland at the last minute? Could an independent Scotland with new pro agri-food policies try to replicate the Glanbia dairy plant currently under construction in the South East, threatening the potential boost to the rural economy and creation of 1,600 jobs?

Of course in terms of the North there are those that believe that an independent Scotland would mean a break up of the UK which further threatens Northern Ireland's attachment to England. Does it thought?

Unionists seem to think so. In fact Unionist politicians are absolutely bricking it at the thought of Scotland gaining it's independence. Why is this? The more I hear and read of their desperation for Scotland to remain in the UK the more I am rooting for the 'Yes' side.

Sammy Wilson is worried

Peter Robinson feels the future of the Union is at stake

Reg Empey warns Scottish Independence could re-ignite the troubles (and turn the North into West Pakistan!)

Trimble accuses Scottish Nationalists of doing voilence to peoples identity

Lord Kilclooney advocates partition of Scotland if 'Yes' side win

European Elections 2014 - Preview

At the 2013 DUP conference last weekend there was not one mention of the on-going Haass talks on the contentious issues of flags, parading and dealing with the legacy of the past. Instead the DUP set out it's stall for the upcoming elections in May.

No decision has been made on whether they will run one candidate or two in the Euro election. Peter Robinson tells us the decision will be based on what ever is best for Unionism. In other words Peter is telling us he will not do anything which will risk handing the third seat to Nationalists.

The DUP will strike a deal with the UUP and agree to run one candidate. This will allow the UUP's Jim Nicholson pole position to hold the third seat. In return for this concession to the UUP, the DUP will demand co-operation/Unionist Unity or agreement from the UUP not to stand candidates for the marginal seats in the 2015 Westminster elections. The UUP will agree as loosing their European seat will leave the party without a single MP or MEP. This could be a death knell for the party.

Sinn Féin may themselves very well be considering running a second candidate (probably Belfast based) to run alongside Martina Anderson. This may run the risk that Alex Attwood of the SDLP will take the Nationalist seat. However with the STV system this is unlikely. SF voters will transfer to SF candidates. The announcement of two SF running candidates would also put it up to the DUP to do likewise.

The decision to run one or two candidates may come down to Psephology (election science) whereby a general rule is that if a single candidate is likely to receive a quota of 1.55, it is likely that two candidates could be elected with the help of transfers.

Already confirmed to be fighting for the maximum of two Unionist seats are Dianne Dodds (DUP), Jim Nicholson (UUP) and Henry Reilly (UKIP). It is expected that John McCallister will run for NI21.The PUP have indicated that they will run a candidate as has Jamie Bryson, the outspoken 'fleg' protest organiser (first to loose £5k deposit?). The TUV being the TUV will not want to further fragment the Unionist vote will stand aside and give their backing to another candidate (probably Henry Reilly).

So with a rather crowded Unionist field of six or seven candidates as well the 'Others' being represented by Ross Brown of the Green Party and an unconfirmed Alliance candidate, there will be talk/scaremongering in the months ahead about the possibility of Nationalists winning the third seat.

In the 2009 European Elections Unionists received 237,436 votes accounting for 49% of total votes. Nationalists received 204,673 (42.2%). A difference of 32,763. Turnout was low at 42.8%.

Will a congested Unionist field result in any significant number of votes being lost in the transfer system of STV due to voters not transferring all the way down the line?

What effect will a low turnout have? Turnout has been declining in Nationalist areas at a faster pace than in Unionist areas. Will this trend continue?

What effect will voter apathy have? The recent drive to get names on the new Elector Register showed Unionist areas had more success. Greater voter apathy among Catholics/Nationalists? Has the decision by Belfast City Council to reduce the flying of the Union Jack over the City Hall had motivated the PUL community to turnout in greater numbers to the polling booths?

And of course what effect will demographic change since the last election have?

These are the factors which will determine who wins the all important third seat.

Demographic Timebomb

The 2011 Census revealed the gap between the two main blocks had decreased from 157,965 to 58,332 in ten years, the equivalent of a reduction of 9,963 per year.

If the trends of the last ten years are to continue, all things being equal, we can calculate the date in which parity is reached.

If the gap is closing by 9,963 per year, it is closing by 27.3 per day (9,963/365). With the gap of 58,332 it will take 2,136 days for parity to be achieved (58,332/27.3).

The Census was carried out on 27 March 2011. 2,136 days on from the this date is 30 January 2017!

Of course people under the age of 18 cannot vote. Excluding under 18s the gap between the main blocks in Census 2011 is 98,561. The gap in the 2001 census was 182,202. Between the last two census' the gap between the two main blocks has decreased by 8,364 per year or 22.9 per day. The gap of 98,561 divided by the change per day gives us 4,301 days. 4,301 days on from 27 March 2011 is 04 January 2023!

  

Dream Team

Ireland and the FAI have got their man. With speculation mounting and betting suspended it now appears to be a badly kept secret. Martin O'Neill will be unveiled as Ireland manager on Monday. The twitter machine has been into overdrive with news that MON is likely to unveil Roy Keane as his number two.

While Martin O'Neill's appointment is being welcomed by fans from Derry to Kerry, the appointment of Keane as assistant is proving to be divisive. It has stoked up tensions of the 'Civil War' which ensued following the Saipan debacle. The country seemed to be split down the middle as to who was at fault for the Manchester United captain's departure from World Cup 2002 in Japan and South Korea.

My own opinion of Saipan is that Mick McCarthy, Roy Keane and the FAI were all equally culpable. However, we are talking about a World Cup nearly 12 years in the memory. It's firmly in the past and it is time to move on.

O'Neill ticks all the right boxes. He is a good coach and has an excellent CV. His record at Leister City and Celtic is exceptional. At Sunderland he did not have his sidekick John Robertson by his side, after a positive start results began to flounder and Martin was shown the door. His replacement Paolo Di Canio's short reign and poorer points average is testament to the fact that Sunderland were wrong to sack O'Neill.

The partnership with Keane could be a masterstroke or it could all end in tears. There are fears of a media circus where the reporters are more interested in the outspoken Keane's comments rather than asking MON about the team and squad.

For this to work Keane needs to keep a relatively low profile and stay in the shadow of O'Neill who will be the 'Gaffer' after all. Keane also needs to realise he will not be calling the shots and do the job of an assistant manager rather than a joint manager. Marco Tardelli (lets not forget was also a high profile right hand man of Trapatonni) filled this role well.

Of course the FAI will be very happy in getting their man. The appointment of Keane as number two will be seen as an added bonus as it is bound to have a positive effect on attendances and generate much needed additional revenue for the organisation as it strives to clear it's Aviva Stadium debt.

There is no doubt with the expanded Euros Ireland have a great chance of making the short trip to France for Euro 2016. Ireland are second seeds in the 23 February draw (provided Romania don't win their two WC playoff games). With the top two in each group qualifying automatically and the safety net of a seeded playoff for a third place finish, qualification will be expected.

Let's wait until Monday for an official announcement and then get behind the new Management team starting with the upcoming international friendly against Latvia on 15 November at Lansdowne Road.

Possible Ireland starting XI
Westwood
Coleman Dunne O'Shea Wilson
Gibson McCarthy Whelan
McGeady Houlihan
Long/Keane

Why is Unionism in Crisis?

The storming of Belfast City Hall, anti-democracy flag protests/rioting, Loyalist rioting in Ardoyne and Royal Avenue in Belfast, Castlereagh and the dramatic U-turn by Peter Robinson and the DUP on the Maze Peace Centre. It is clear that Unionism is in crisis.

Why is Unionism in crisis?

Flags, Symbols, Parading and The Past

September sees the beginning of all party talks to be chaired by US Diplomat and former US Envoy to Northern Ireland Dr Richard Haas. A set of recommendations will be brought forward before the end of the year on contentious issues such as Flags, Symbols, Parading and The Past.

Flags
The starting position on the Nationalist side in relation to the official flying of flags from public buildings is likely to be a demand for equal status for the Tri-Colour to that of the Union Jack. There are two communities in the North. The Irish Tri-Colour is the flag of the Irish Nation (32 counties) and represents the Nationalist Community in the North in the same way as the Union Jack represents the Unionist Community. If we are to have equality, the flags of both communities must be officially recognised. If flags are to be flown from public buildings then either both flags, no flags or an agreed neutral flag should be flown.

There should be strong regulation against displaying flags from lamp posts and street furniture.

The Unionist line will that Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom. The Union Flag is the official flag of the UK and should be flown proudly over all public buildings 365 days a year. The Irish Tri-Colour is the flag of a foreign country and has no place being flown from official buildings in Northern Ireland. Unionists will object strongly to any suggestion that the Irish Tri-Colour should receive official recognition.

They will also resist any attempts to place restrictions from hanging flags from lamp posts or street furniture.

Possible outcomes include:

1. The Union Jack should be flown from all public buildings 365 days a year.

2. The Union Jack should be flown from all government buildings on designated days only.

3. It will be at the discretion of the Local District Council whether the Union Jack will be flown 365 days a year, on designated days only or not at all.

4. Where votes cast for designated Unionists in each Local District Council election are twice that of votes cast for designated Nationalists, the Union Jack should be flown 365 days a year. Where votes cast for designated Nationalists in each Local District Council election are twice that of votes cast for designated Unionists, the Union Jack will not be flown. Where neither scenario has occurred the Union Jack will be flown on designated days only (or something to that effect).

5. Either no flag or a neutral flag should be flown from all government buildings.

6. The Irish Tri-Colour will receive official recognition and should be flown from all public buildings along with the Union Jack

The independent adjudicators led by Richard Haass will conclude that official recognition for the Union Flag is required given that the North is currently part of the UK. They will also conclude that as we do not have a joint sovereignty situation it is not appropriate to officially recognise the Irish Tri-colour (much to the annoyance of Nationalists). The adjudicators will also try to avoid a zero sum solution with one side the clear 'winner' and the other side the 'loser'. This leaves options 2, 3 & 4 as realistic recommendations.

Given the Unionist and Loyalist reaction to the democratic decision to fly the Union Jack from Belfast City Hall on designated days only and the traditional "not an inch", "No Surrender" and "chipping away at our Britishness/cultural war" mantra, it is difficult to envisage Unionists accept anything other that option 1.

No side can get everything they want, that's why it's called a negotiation. Unionist won't get option 1 and will push for option 2, relishing an opportunity to have the Union Jack forced upon CRN communities on designated days even if it means it will not be flown 365 days a year in PUL dominated areas.

The independent panel will not recommend option 2 as it would be unacceptable to Nationalists who have majorities in half of the Local District Councils. The Unionist side will draw the line here and I predict that they will walk from the talks.

They may come back to the talks if concessions can be made in other areas as part of the overall negotiations (disbandment of the Parades Commission?). Option 3 may then be a runner or some variation to option 4.

As for displaying flags from every lamp post, god only knows what solutions will be on the table and how any determinations can/will be enforced.

Symbols
The same arguments used in the flag debate will be used when discussions turn to symbols. The argument that there should not be official recognition for the Irish flag as the North is part of the UK might work for flags but this will not wash in terms of symbols. Stormont, City Halls, County Councils, Street names, hospitals, bridges, statues etc. are almost entirely Unionist. To reflect the cultural diversity of the six counties this is going to have to change.

Parading
The best thing to do with Parades is to ban them all. Unfortunately this scenario is unlikely. Nationalists as a minimum will look for parades, which seek to march through areas predominantly inhabited by residents from the another community to be prohibited. People's right to assemble should not over rule residents rights to live in peace and free from sectarian coat trailing exercises.

The main area of contention is likely to be the issue of parades in 'shared spaces' such as town centres. The independent Parades Commission should be retained for rulings on contentious parades in shared spaces.

Of course the Unionist position will be that the Orange and Loyal Orders should be able to march where they want, when they want. It is the "Queens Highway" after all! They will demand the Parades Commission is disbanded.

Other than accept that a new body made up of residents and parading representatives to make determinations on contentious parades, I cannot see Unionists compromise on parading. Nationalists may have to concede here if they can achieve concessions on flags, symbols and The Past.

The Past
Are there two narratives on the past or is there one? Both sides will disagree but can they agree to disagree? Unionist views on Republican commemorations of their dead are perfectly clear. This despite the completely hypocritical position they hold in relation to Remembrance Sunday (honouring British army dead responsible for as many acts of 'terror' and atrocities as any militia) and even UVF commemorations in Bangor and Colraine or in fact most Orange parades which have bands named after Loyalist paramilitaries.

Loyalists Against Democracy

Just for a bit of balance I am adding a Unionist/Loyalist blog to my blogroll. Loyalists Against Democracy was born out of the 'fleg' protests and is now Northern Ireland's most loyal loyal loyalist page. None are more loyal than LAD.

Widely followed on Facebook and Twitter they have now entered the blogosphere.

Here's the link:

www.loyalistsagainstdemocracy.blogspot.co.uk

Report Card 2012/2013

After being recalled to discuss the Red Sky controversy and again to discuss the Loyalist rioting and violence surrounding the 12th of the July, the Executive term 2012/2013 has come to an end. So how have each of the Ministers performed through out the Assembly term?

First Minister - Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson's term will be remembered for his handling of the anti-democracy 'fleg' protests following Belfast City Council's decision to restrict the flying of the Union Jack from the City Hall to designated days. The response of the DUP together with the UUP was to circulate 40,000 inflammatory leaflets to Unionist and Loyalist homes. The effect was to stoke tensions.
Several weeks and months of street rioting and violence ensued. His lack of leadership on this issue epitomises the lack of leadership shown by Unionism as a whole.

The U-turn on the Maze Peace Centre is yet another example of weak leadership. The renege on the agreement jeopardises 5,000 jobs and millions in investment on what has the potential to be one of the biggest tourist attractions in Ireland and Britain. £18m in European Peace Funds already looks to have been lost.

The First Minister has bowed to pressure from the TUV, UUP and Orange Order. Yet he has not uttered one word of condemnation on the Loyalist rioting and attacks on Police in Belfast during an anti internment parade. Neither has he condemned the attack on the Lord Mayor of Belfast.

Deputy First Minister - Martin McGuinness

Top of the class, from militant to peacemaker Martin has turned into quite the statesman. Following on from his handshake with the Queen of England which was described as a 'historic peace move', Martin continues to be well spoken and consistent in  his condemnation of dissident Republican's and the Orange Order. He urged Republicans to resist from celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher. He extended his best wishes to Kate & William on the birth of their baby boy. Perhaps the most significant message given by McGuinness came in his speech to the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis, "I am so confident in my Irishness that I have no desire to chip away at the Britishness of my neighbours".

Finance Minister - Sammy Wilson

With the severe austerity being imposed by Westminster curtailing spending cuts to only 2% is an achievement in itself.

However the Finance Minister's deliberately provocative order to spend £10,000 of public money on erecting poles to display more Union flags from 5 government buildings in Belfast clearly shows where his priorities lie.

Sammy Wilson was also responsible for holding up the cross border Narrow Bridge project. Although the Irish government had already secured 80% of the funding, it was only when it looked like EU funding would be lost that he was backed into a corner and had no choice but to release funds and approve the scheme subject to several very dubious conditions.

Education Minister - John O'Dowd

While the removal of Academic selection to grade young people will go down as Education Minister, John O’Dowd's greatest achievement, the announcement of almost 300 additional jobs for recently qualified teachers during the term is also an achievement in the current economic environment.

On BBC television's The View, smaller parties complained that they had been kept in the dark about a shared future plan, to which Mr O'Dowd responded: "So what?" Harmless yes but it did come across as arrogance on Minister O'Dowd's part.

Health Minister - Edwin Poots

The Health minister deserves credit for exploring all Ireland health strategies with his southern counterpart James Reilly.

However Mr. Poots did come in for criticism when it was revealed that patients were waiting up to 70 weeks for orthopaedic surgery in a Derry Hospital. Poots also made headlines when he took a legal challenge against a decision by a Belfast court which allowed same sex couples to apply to adopt children. The DUP MLA was successful in his deliberate attempt to denigrate the 1916 Rising when he tweeted "had forgotten it is the 97th anniversary of a failed rising by subversives”. This provoked a twitter storm and a swift backlash from the riled Nationalist community.

Enterprise Trade and Employment Minister - Arlene Foster

A better year for the North's private sector development with private sector investment up 41%. Impressive given that economic policy of the UK government is not compatible with the economic needs of the North of Ireland.

However Arlene Foster's refusal to cooperate with the Irish Government in order to promote 'The Gathering' as an All Ireland project was regrettable. While 26 counties cash in, the North has missed out on the economic benefits from a great tourist initiative due to a small-minded parochial attitude and
antipathy towards all Ireland co-operation.

Justice Minister - David Ford

Strong in his condemnation of Unionist violence, rioting and attacks on police, the Justice Minister approved the drafting in of hundreds of additional police from Britain to assist the PSNI in to quell public disorder linked to Loyalist and Orange Order rioting.

 

Agriculture and Rural Development Minister - Michelle O'Neill

The winter blizzards resulted in the deaths of thousands of farm animals. The health minister was questioned on why it took three days after the snow started falling for a relief operation to deliver feed to stranded animals to get underway. The health minister rightly maintained that her fist priority was people and once the humanitarian issue was dealt with, helicopters from both the Royal Air Force and the Irish Air Corp, and specialist snowcat vehicles, were involved in getting bales to the affected farms.

The minister has also been successful decentralisation of department of agriculture jobs from Belfast to other more remote parts of the North.

Culture Arts and Leisure - Carál Ní Chuilin

The Minister deserves credit for securing funding for the redevelopment of stadia. Ravenhill, Casement Park and Windsor Park are all undergoing/to under go significant face lifts which will bring sporting infrastructure in the six counties in to the 21st century.

The arts minister was prepared to reach out to the Unionist community by agreeing to fund uniforms for members of hundreds of marching bands and by attending Northern Ireland football games.

Employment and Learning - Stephen Farry

Stephen who? Other that championing to the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) his department's 'Graduating to Success Programme', a higher education strategy setting out a vision for the sector up to 2020 and meeting with various groups representing the unemployed, Minister Farry has been pretty low profile during the Assembly term.

Environment Minister - Alex Attwood

The A5 motorway linking Donegal to Aughnacloy would be presently under construction were it not for a court ruling that the project needed a more comprehensive environmental assessment. The fact that a fuller environmental survey had not already been carried out in the first place is a failure by the department of the Environment. The buck must stop with Minister Attwood.

He also opposed changes in planning laws which would create economically significant planning zones. Not surprising given that it would take power from his department and hand it to OFMDFM.

Regional Development - Danny Kennedy

The Regional Development Minister is responsible for infrastructure projects in the North. Danny Kennedy was at best luck warm in his support for the A5 upgrade. Although the delay is primarily the fault of Alex Attwood's department of the environment, Minister Kennedy must share in the blame. The economically significant Narrow Water bridge scheme linking Omeath in Co. Louth with Warrenpoint in Co. Down and the restoration of the Ulster Canal have also not progressed. The excuse for the delay in both projects is lack of funding, however was the political will there on the the Minister's part.

Minister Kennedy was responsible for the erection of "Welcome to Northern Ireland" road signs along the border. This was described as 'petty' and 'politically motivated' by local politicians and caused widespread Nationalist anger.

Social Development - Nelson Mc Causland

The Social Development Minister caused huge controversy in 2012 after his reversal of plans to develop 200 new social homes on the Girwood Barracks site in North Belfast. Housing Executive figures at the time showed Catholics made up 95% of those on the public housing waiting list in North Belfast. A court barrister summed up widely held belief that "the simple reason for the decision was he didn't want 200 Catholic families moving into this area. The minister's decision was motivated by improper collateral purposes: a restriction of the expansion of the Catholic population in north Belfast and to counter the decline of the Protestant population."

By his own standards McCausland, who believes 'that Ulster Protestants are one of the lost tribes of Israel' and who holds the creationist view that the universe was created about 6,000 years ago, was having a quite assembly term.

That was until he again became embroiled in controversy again after a BBC Spotlight programme made allegations of political interference in the running of the Housing Executive. The programme also featured claims by Jenny Palmer - a Housing Executive board member and DUP councillor who claimed she was pressured to change her vote at a meeting discussing the decision to axe a multi-million pound contract with East Belfast company Red Sky. So serious were the allegations that the Assembly was recalled to discuss the claims.

The Gathering Delivers

The Gathering is delivering. Ireland's 'greatest ever tourism initiative' is aimed at mobilising the Irish diaspora and others to return to or visit Ireland during 2013, to be part of a series of local gatherings, events and festivals to celebrate Irish culture, history and genealogy.

According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO):

• Tourism numbers are up 8.1% to 1.77m between March and May this year
• There was an 12.8pc increase in North American tourists over the first five months of the year, with 369,100 visits
• One million American visitors are expected to visit Ireland in 2013, spending around $1bn (€765,000).
• The number of tourists coming to Ireland from the United Kingdom has increased by 5.6% to 726,300 – despite the overall slump in the general British travel market.
• Visits from mainland Europe were up 8.5pc for January to May and by 9.6pc between March and May.
• The highest jump has been witnessed in visitors from France at 26.3pc, the Benelux countries at 11pc, Germany at 6.1pc and the Nordic countries at 6pc.
• Even recession-mired Spain has seen visitors here rise by 5.4pc over the same three-month period.
• The Australian and New Zealand market also grew by an impressive 12.1pc from March to May.

Of course while Dublin, Cork, Galway and Killarney cash in, Belfast, Derry and Newry have seen little or no benefit from the initiative. They could have, were it not for DUP Tourism Minister Arlene Foster refusing to cooperate with the Irish Government in order to promote The Gathering as an All Ireland project and promote Ireland abroad. Instead she insisted on marketing the North as "part of the United Kingdom" distinct from the rest of Ireland.

Most overseas tourists, especially those from North America, come to visit the island as a whole. People come to Ireland for the céad míle fáilte, the scenery, the traditional music, the Irish language, the Guinness and all that is bound up in the Celtic Irish identity promoted abroad. It's cool, it's appealing, it's ancient and it works.

Blinded by a DUP Minister's small-minded parochial attitude and antipathy towards all Ireland co-operation, the North has missed out on the economic benefits from a great tourist initiative.

Update:
Tourist numbers to Ireland for the fist six months of the year show Overseas visitors increase 5.4%.
Below is a great video made by a Canadian couple of their trip around Ireland - A Fortnight Plus Half - An Ireland Adventure.

The Marching Season

The Marching Season is underway. There were disturbances in North Belfast last night as the Orange Order's annual 'Tour of the North' parade made its way through the Peter's Hill end of the Nationalist Carrickhill. After several breaches of the Parades Commission determination by numerous bands, a small number of nationalist youths tried to run through the bands as they made their way up Peter's Hill. A confrontation ensued and led to Loyalists attacking Nationalist homes. The events of last night are not uncommon in the North. The blame lies solely with the Orange Order.

The Orange Order proclaims to be a cultural organisation defending religious and civil liberties which celebrates Protestant King William of Orange's victory at the Battle of the Boyne over the Catholic James II in 1690.

In reality the Orange Order is a supremacist, bigoted, anti-Catholic, anti-Irish, sectarian organisation that engage in hate filled, triumphalist, coat-trailing marches through Catholic neighbourhoods each and every summer.

It is an organisation in which Catholics are forbidden from joining. Protestants who are married to Catholics are also banned. Members are prohibited from attending Catholic religious ceremonies, indeed many have been expelled from doing so. The rules basically prevent members mixing with those of a different faith.

With tensions still rife following months of volatile anti-democracy protests against the removal of the Union Jack from Belfast City Hall, a summer of discontent and violence looks on the horizon.

Contentious Orange Order marches need to be banned. Yes, people have the right to march and freedom of assembly, but not when the assembly leads to violence and mayhem on the streets and when doing so is to deny Nationalists and Catholics their basic human rights. In a modern inclusive society contentious Orange Order marches should not be tolerated. A Ku Kluk Klan march through Harlem would not be accepted and neither should an Orange Order march through any Catholic areas.