The Northern Secretary has had separate meetings with the Garvaghy Road residents and the Portadown Orangemen in an attempt to resolve the Drumcree marching dispute. Speaking after the talks, the Garvaghy Road residents spokesman Breandán Mac Cionnaith said that the British government is considering playing a less active role in future attempts to settle the issue. He added that it was possible any attempt to resolve the stand-off would be led by an independent facilitator.
Speaking after their discussions, Portadown Orange Order spokesman, David Jones, said that it was important that efforts were made to resolve the issue quickly. Since 1998, the Parades Commission has barred Orangemen from marching through the Garvaghy Road each July from their annual church service at Drumcree.
