Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly has tonight welcomed a decision by the Parades Commission on a contentious loyalist parade which broke an agreement made between residents and the loyal orders on parades along the Crumlin Road.

Gerry Kelly said:

“An Orange Lodge in the Ballysillan area applied for a parade down the Crumlin Road this Saturday 24th June.

“This parade was clearly in breach of an agreement in 2016 between the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association and the three Ligoniel lodges which has brought almost seven years of peace to the Crumlin Road and eased community tensions.

“The Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association lodged an objection to this new parade and were supported by myself and other local Sinn Féin political representatives. 

“I note that the Parades Commission has recognised that this contentious parade was in fact a breach of the agreement between the Ligoniel Orange Lodges and the residents and I welcome the ruling that this parade will not pass down by Ardoyne, Mountainview and the Dales.

“Sinn Féin will continue to monitor all applications for parades which fall outside the 2016 Agreement.”