A senior delegation from the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland
has met the Secretary of State, Peter Hain, to discuss concerns
within the Order and the wider Protestant community.
The delegation consisted of the Grand Master, Robert Saulters;
Grand Secretary, Drew Nelson; Grand Treasurer, Mervyn Bishop
and the Director of Services, Dr. David Hume.
The delegation was accompanied by the DUP leader, Dr. Ian
Paisley, who organised the meeting.
The Orangemen presented the Secretary of State with an eight
page paper detailing concerns within the Protestant community.
They raised concerns around parading, attacks on Orange Halls,
feelings of marginalisation within the Protestant community
and the Notifiable Membership rules within the PSNI.
A spokesman for the Orange Order said:
"We reminded the Secretary of State that the Orange
Institution is the biggest cultural organisation within the
Protestant community and encompasses all opinion within Unionism.
It has strong support right across Northern Ireland, illustrated
by the fact that between 400,000 and 500,000 people attend
the Twelfth every year.
"The Secretary of State said he would read our document
and come back to us on the points raised. It was definitely
a constructive meeting."
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