Parades Commission

The Parades Commission is a quasi-judicial non-departmental public body responsible for placing restrictions on any parades in Northern Ireland it deems contentious or offensive. It is composed of seven members, all of whom are appointed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Restrictions it can impose include a prohibition on music being played, re-routing parades to avoid contentious areas, or banning certain participants based on previous breaches of its determinations. Its rulings are usually enforced by either parade stewards or the police, though there are disputes as to whether this is done to the letter of the law in certain areas. The Commission acts under the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998.[2]

Parades Commission
Formation1 April 1998
TypeNon-departmental public body
HeadquartersAndras House
60 Great Victoria Street
Belfast
BT2 7BB[1]
Chair
Anne Henderson
Websitewww.paradescommission.org

Parade organisers and participants are liable to arrest and prosecution for breaching any of the Commission's rulings, although no-one has been charged since the Commission was established in 1998. A section 6(7) offence has a maximum punishment of six months imprisonment or level five on the standard scale.

The Commission was set up after the large-scale civil strife that followed the Drumcree conflict over an Orange Order parade in Portadown. It has come under strong criticism from the Order. The Grand Lodge of the Order has a policy of non-engagement with the Commission, although some private and district lodges, particularly those with contentious parades, have agreed to talk to it.

Commissioners

As of September 2018, the Commissioners are:[3]

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gollark: You can have multiple remotes by the way.
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See also
  • List of Government departments and agencies in Northern Ireland

References
  1. "Contact Us". Parades Commission.
  2. "Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1998 c. 2
  3. "Commission - Northern Ireland Parades Commission". www.paradescommission.org. Retrieved 2018-09-08.
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