The Orange Order has rejected draft legislation for new mechanisms to deal with contentious parades. The Grand Lodge met in County Tyrone on 6 July to consider the plans. The vote was 37 against and 32 for, with four abstentions. The proposals were drawn up after the Hillsborough Agreement and envisage a focus on dialogue and a code of conduct for both residents and marchers. The DUP said: ‘We are the only party to have put proposals on the table to deal with issues surrounding parading and protests, based upon upholding the fundamental right to freedom of public assembly’. The DUP and Sinn Fein set up a six-strong group to work on the matter to propose a new and improved framework to rule on controversial marches. One of those who sat on the working group, Sinn Fein MLA John O'Dowd, said that the vote showed the Orange Order needed to ‘wake up’.

Pray: for reconciliation between the opposing parties in the province. (Lk.12:58)

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