10/07/2014 BBC Newsline

weather. Not a wash-out but stay tuned for the details.

Peaceful protests and a commission of inquiry,

Unionist leaders and the Orange Order reveal part of their response

The time has come for all Unionists to stand up and be counted.

The 12th falls on a Saturday this year and that has big implications

Garth Brooks speaks publicly about his five cancelled Dublin concerts.

And thousands of public sector workers take part

And if you caught the showers today, tomorrow does at least look drier,

Today we finally got a little more detail when unionist

political leaders and the Orange Order unveiled their shopping list.

Politicians want the Secretary of State to establish a commission

They say their level of participation in politics

at every level from councils to Europe depends on her response.

On the ground, the Orange Order has announced plans

for protest parades on the Twelfth evening in non-contentious areas.

In addition each main county demonstration will stop

for six minutes, the time the Order says it would take the Ardoyne

parade to move through the disputed section of the route.

And all participants, supporters, Orangemen and bandsmen are being

asked to sign a peace pledge to keep the protests non-violent.

Our political correspondent Gareth Gordon has more details.

What does this remind you of? The Ulster Cabinet and Lord Carlson

opposing home rule for all means possible, meet 2014, Peter

Robinson, Mike Nesbitt and the Orange order opposing the Parades

Commission by peaceful protest only. The time has come for all Unionists

to stand up and be counted. That was the Grand Master of the Orange order

sitting behind Unionist leaders in the Orange Hall in Belfast. They

were indignant at being asked that this meant that Orange Order was

being -- dictating policy. The suggestion that Unionist leaders

should not sit alongside leaders of the Orange institution as if they

were pariahs. This was the unveiling of a united response to the banning

of a Twelfth parade. Each demonstration on the 12th day will

stop for a period of six minutes, the length of time it takes the

parade to walk along the Crumlin Road. At this stuff pitch, a

statement -- stoppage, statement will be read outlining our protests.

In the evening, number of peaceful protest parades will be taking

place. These will not be in contention is areas. But what about

the politics? The parties are agreed that at every level, council,

assembly, Westminster and Europe, the expression resulting from

threats of republican violence will have a consequence determining how

our members at each of these levels of government will participate. We

intend to seek an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State. The

response of the Secretary of State to be positive proposal of this

commission of enquiry will dictate the nature and timing of those

actions. He was asked if the political institutions were safe,

but sidestepped the question. Over and over, however, we were told

there was no threat to peace. Within a framework which is based on

fundamental principles, those principles are being lawful, being

peaceful and being respectful. The only threat of violence is coming

from Republicans not the Unionists. That claim was rejected by a

nationalist residents group at the news conference in Ardoyne.

Sinn Fein claim to have learned little from what the Unionists had

said. The graduated approach is now become graduated ambiguity. If

anybody the wiser as to what the facts of all of this is going to be?

Unionists say that is the point of the graduated response. They will

tell us in their own time. These men know that what they have announced

today, while being too much for some, will be knowing it enough for

others. A lot depends now on their calls for a peaceful 12th of July

being heeded. We did ask the Secretary of State to

join us this evening but you are not available. Joining me now is the

resident -- reverent Alastair Smyth from the Orange order, would you

think and enquiry will achieve? We hope it will reveal that the Parades

Commission as it is carried the Parades Commission as it is carried

to set up has not delivered. It has furthered fractured community

relationships, it has made the situation more difficult in Northern

Ireland and we therefore hope that the commission will first of all

expose the brokenness of that old system, and that it will produce

something better and fairer. If he did not do that and come down on

your side as you may see it, would you accept it nonetheless? We will

continue with our campaign costs it is not a matter of asking for this

particular enquiry, we are asking for the resolution of the whole

difficulty in order to produce something that is better and

fairer. We believe the Parades Commission as it currently exists

that it is an unelected quango, it is not transparent, it's decisions

are opaque and vague. We feel that the structure of the Parades

Commission at the minute, the legislation is designed as it's such

a way as to it always puts the ball into the protesters' court. You had

the chance to support an alternative to the Parades Commission four years

ago, but turned it down. Do you accept you had opportunity and

missed it? The Orange order was one organisation among several orders

who turned down that proposals. They were cumbersome and they were not

gain to be particularly helpful. What is done is done. We were not

the only organisation who declined those proposals. Members of the

Orange order was sitting at the table today with parties linked to

the UDF and UDA, are you happy will -- happy about that? We are living

in Northern Ireland where the defeated Prime Minister is an ex-IRA

man, if not a current one. He would deny that, obviously. We are forced

to work in that scenario. Is there certain level of hypocrisy in that

considering the years the years the Orange order has refused to speak to

residents groups, that is the reason that you gave? To go back to the

question that you asked about those at the table with us today, those

people are elected representatives. In sometimes they are community

representatives. The fact that a person has a past does not mean that

they cannot have a future as a minister of the Gospel and of Orange

order. I am into the good news of the gospel, believing that their

hearts and lives can be changed and they begin to make a more positive

contribution towards awareness in -- affairs in Northern Ireland. There

has been a suggestion of alternative route at Harmony Way in Belfast, is

there any merit in that? One of those kind of suggestions have to be

dealt with -- all of those suggestions have to be dealt with by

a reverend at the local level, I am in another district and so I could

not say. Joining me now is the DUP MP Gregory

Campbell and from Sinn Fein, Alex Maskey. When you want an answer to

this request? About the commission? As soon as possible. I think we have

all done our best, and so far, successfully, to minimise disruption

and try to ensure that all opposition to the Parades

Commission's determinations are peaceful and lawful and that has

been Commission's determinations are

peaceful and lawful and that has the case. We want to get a response

quickly. Would you accept the outcome of the enquiry if it does

not fall on your side as you see it? We don't know the terms of

reference yet. But he called for it, but will you accept what the -- what

they say? We do not know what the response to the call will be. We

have seen the Secretary of State being largely positive. Let's see if

she goes ahead with the meeting, hopefully that can go ahead quickly

and let's see what her definitive response is and then we will be in a

better position to answer that. And it smacks the -- Alex Maskey, would

an enquiry sort this out once and for all? It would have been better

if all the parties stayed in the talks which were designed to deal

with this. The DUP and Unionist enquiry can be got from the British

governed, but it would be very foolish for them to go down that

road in a week where they have refused families of victims of state

killings any enquiry. That is something. But the bottom-line for

the Orange order has to be here is that we are in a new era. The Orange

order does not run the northern state and they will not march were

they want to. They will have to learn to live with respect with the

rest of us. Whatever enquiry may or may not be set up, whatever talks

are hurt, the marketing Institute have to work on the basis that they

have to work with the the respect of people who live here. If the onus

now Nationalists say, let's get this sorted out? I think the Nationalists

have been very generous if you want to put it that way, when you talk

about the small number of contentious parades over which there

is a dispute, like Ardoyne at the moment. There are a number of other

parades which are contentious but because of the tournament of the

communities in those areas, with a bit of dialogue and work and effort

by those communities, a number of those parades have gone ahead. So

the nationalist community has been generous. What we don't see from the

Orange order in particular, they have made note contribution to the

peace process over the last 20 years. Gregory Campbell, is that

fair comment? That is totally unfair. We have repeatedly heard

this nonsense that the Orange order and loyal orders March wherever they

want, they do not. We have also heard that they marched through

Catholic areas, they do not. Do we want a resolution of these problems?

We know who created these problems, Gerry Adams says it took years of

effort to get all of these resident groups to protest against loyal

parade. Do we want to resolve the problem or continue it? What the

United Unionist community wants to do, and we demonstrated it today,

what get a resolution to the problem. Hopefully we have started

on a long process which will get us there more quickly and others are

trying to try and drag us back. Thank you very much for joining us.

With the 12th falling on a Saturday this year there are big implications

Around half of the city centre's shops will be open.

The same has happened over recent years with opening hours timed to

avoid when the main procession passes through.

Donna is in Belfast City Centre this evening.

Behind me is Donegal Place, one of the main shopping areas of the city.

With the Twelfth falling on a Saturday this year, the best day of

the week for shops, most businesses have told us they have low

expectations for trade. Our business correspondent joins us here in the

city centre. Put this in context of the trade and the loss that they

will suffer. This is an initiative that began back in a lot how --

higher than now. 80% in 2010, 50% this Saturday. Roughly the same as

last year. The reasons for that are quite simply the trading experience.

I have been talking to sources that tell me that a lot of stores took

some convincing to open at all because the Twelfth has become the

quietest day of the retail year. That has not been unusual, it is the

holiday time of year, but retailers are also saying rightly or wrongly,

in some people's mind, there is a worry about disorderly behaviour and

worry caused by the disruption to traffic and roads. For that reason,

I think as an initiative, this has been a struggle in recent years.

Thank you. Representing independent traders is Glyn Roberts, also here.

It is not just about the task, when hundreds of thousands come into

Belfast city centre, they are not here to shop. Why open at all? I

think the 12th of July has always been a big challenge for retailers.

I think many retailers are open in the city centre and the aim is to

make it as normal trading day as possible. It is a challenge. I think

the key message that we want to get out in people involved in protests

this weekend is keep them peaceful. The last thing we need in terms of

an economic recovery is scenes of violence and rioting beamed across

international headlines. I would urge the full involved in protests,

keep it peaceful. What about the big multinationals, looking at the books

in London, looking at shops here in Belfast, fewer sales, why should

they remain open at all? That offer July has always been a trial at --

death the they remain open at all? That offer

July has always been a 12th of July -- the top of July has always been

challenging. Our colleagues in the chamber of commerce have worked hard

to persuade retailers, there is a food festival and retailers there.

Hopefully it will be a good day if consumers come in. This is a good

city centre and hopefully there will be lots to do if you are not

interested in the parade. It is a difficult time not just the shops

but also for restaurants and pubs. Many pubs for clothes and one

restaurant told us that normally on a Saturday they would have 200

covers, this Saturday they have 15. Will he, won't he? Will residents

give in to pressure, will the singer change his mind? The fiasco over the

cancelled Garth Brooks concerts rumbles on. Talks in Dublin were on

and then off today as our Arts Correspondent Maggie Taggart now

reports. As hundreds of thousands of fans

held their breath, Garth Brooks went live on his website to say the

problem had not yet been resolved. 400,000 tickets were sold. Let those

shows take place. It's a simple yes is what it is but for some reason

the system keeps throwing it back here. The problem isn't me. It has

been the blaze game in the Garth Brooks debacle. Everyone came in for

criticism and it was a soap opera of the music world. I believe that

through discussion, and I certainly hope it will be possible to resolve

this issue. If the concerts can be broken up and he gets three

consecutive concerts now as was planned and a quarter of a million

fans, then he can get the other two consecutive concerts later on. That

is not to mention the guards explaining their take on the risks

of five concerts. We were satisfied with the five-day plan that it could

run. Even the Mexican ambassador offered to mediate with his skills

of diplomacy. Garth Brooks said he is heartbroken about the debacle.

The many fans who have had their hopes raised and dashed must surely

have taken some comfort in listening to the recorded performances but it

is no comparison to listening to their idol live. In his Nashville

press conference he said he did not want to disappoint anyone and that

was where he was still pushing for all five concerts. I can tell you

this honestly, anyone in Ireland, anyone on the planet who is sad

about this, you are not 1,000,000,000th as sad as I am

because I am the real loser in this. I am now without the greatest

experience of my life. The Prime Minister himself wants to talk to

me, I will crawl, swim, fly over this weekend, sit in front of him,

drop on my knees and beg for those 400,000 people to just have fun.

More negotiations are planned and Garth Brooks said he is willing to

come to speak to our president but at the moment, those five concerts

are still cancelled. In a further twist, the transport

committee have said they will meet with the GAA tomorrow and they hoped

efforts today to reinstate the five concerts will prove successful.

Shane Harrison joins me now. It sounds like they could be further

developments? Garth Brooks in Nashville appeared to be putting the

dampers on his concerts but over here they said they were hopeful

there could be a resolution. As we heard there, the view here is, and

it is just speculation, but it's good be that the three concerts will

go ahead as planned with two concerts later on. That is just

speculation at this stage. An overnight attack has resulted

in extensive damage to the interior Crucifixes and statues were

smashed and windows broken. This was the scene that greeted

people as they arranged -- opens the church this morning. The damage

caused significant. A crucifix down, carvings smashed and a statue of

Mary toppled. The local priest says clergy from the Protestant community

have been quick to condemn the attack and offer their support. Do

you feel that there was a sectarian motive behind this attack? It is a

possibility but we don't know that until the fact is, in. I wouldn't

like to say for definite in any shape or form. It is a possibility

at this particular time of year when the tensions are high. The injured

is gained entry by prising open the front doors. They also attacked the

priest's car parked nearby. The church was closed today as police

began an investigation. People turned up as normal for mass this

morning to find their church had been vandalised overnight. We cannot

understand what has happened here. That comes from right across the

community. I have spoken to Presbyterians representatives from

the town and everyone is despairing that -- everyone is so disappointed

about the situation. They are hoping the church will reopen very same.

Leisure centres, bin collections and other public services have been

The members of six unions here joined their colleagues in England

and Wales to take industrial action over a range of issues.

It's thought to have been the largest strike in the UK

It doesn't take long for the rubbish to pile up when the bins aren't

being emptied. That is happening today because the people who

normally do this job are among thousands on strike. How fast City

Hall was one of many buildings where public so that workers gathered to

demonstrate. They are unhappy about pensions and wage cuts. This rally

was the centrepiece of the day in Belfast. This is the biggest strike

since 1926 and I would like to congratulate you all. For most

people, the below inflation pay felt was the major issue. It is a lousy

offer and we want the employers back to the negotiating table. It needs

to be pointed out that public service workers actually care about

public services and they only do these things as a last resort. The

services which were affected included libraries, public toilets

and leisure centres. How fast do was closed for the day. There was also a

small picket line at this crematorium. In many parts of

Northern Ireland, striking staff protested outside their workplaces.

Here in Londonderry, union members said they were struggling. Over the

past two years, our wages have effectively been frozen. We are on

the minimum wage. The cost of living is increasing but our wages aren't.

The Westminster government criticised the unions. We need to

have pay restraint and we have tried to protect the lowest paid public

sector workers by ensuring they were not subject to the pay freeze but we

still have a large deficit and if there were pay increases above the

level which has been sacked, the only impact would be fewer public

sector jobs. Here, union say they are prepared to take more industrial

action in September if people are not prepared to negotiate.

Some of today's sports news now and Northern Ireland's golfers are

making an impression on the first day of the

Rory McIlroy, Michael Hoey and Darren Clarke are all

But not such good news about Stephanie Meadow.

She faces a struggle to make the cut at the Women's British Open.

Rory McIlroy set a new course record at Royal Aberdeen today with an

opening round of 64. Eight birdies means he leads the field at seven

under par. I like this course because it gives you a chance to be

aggressive but you also have to play strategically as well. I played well

out there and as I said, I controlled my ball flight well. That

was the most pleasing thing. That was why I hit the shots I wanted to.

And legal under ?15 Michael Hoey finish on five under, just two shots

behind Michael -- Rory McIlroy. Darren Clarke started brightly but

as a further two shots behind. Meanwhile, Stephanie Meadows, in

only her third tournament as a pro, struggles -- faces a struggle to

make the cut for the women's British Open.

Crusaders have won 2-1 in the second leg of their

Europa League qualifying tie against Ekranas of Lithuania.

The other fulltime scores will be on our late bulletin.

I'm afraid there is quite a bit of clout in the forecast today. That

was mostly the case in the East, then we had some fairly sharp

showers across parts of Tyrone and Armagh as well. Eventually, they

showers will shrink away as we go through the night, so eventually it

should be dry overnight most places. It could become quite cloudy and a

little bit misty. Another muggy night with temperatures holding in

double figures. Generally between 11 and 13 degrees. Going into

tomorrow, another cloudy note without quite so many showers. The

emphasis is on a mainly dry day. We might even see one or two brighter

glimpses, particularly across parts of Antrim and Co down but they

cannot be guaranteed. More clout than sunshine. In the afternoon, we

might see the odd shower but you would be unlucky to catch those

full. Temperatures should rise to 19 or 20 Celsius, feeling a bit humid.

You may notice this batch of rain coming in behind me. That will be

edging in three tomorrow night into Saturday. That will bring spells of

rain. Having said that, we might get away with mainly dry conditions

through tomorrow evening, particularly in the East, but as the

night wears on, that rain starts to make inroads from the West, with the

odd heavy burst possible. It could be quite a muggy and uncomfortable

night. In, as temperatures could be in the teens for most of us. On

Saturday, more of the wet stuff. That rain should clear though and

Sunday looks the better day of the weekend.

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