`All Unionist MPs in Orange Order'

MR Edward Haghey, the Northern businessman who was nominated to the Seanad by Mr Albert Reynolds, declared that all Unionist …

MR Edward Haghey, the Northern businessman who was nominated to the Seanad by Mr Albert Reynolds, declared that all Unionist MPs at Westminster were members of the Orange Order.

He said his information was factual. He was giving it for "helpful reasons" which could be analysed to produce "some of the answers as to why we are experiencing feet dragging from the unionists and an unwillingness to enter dialogue".

He went on "The Unionist `Party recently made an effort to disentangle itself from the Orange Order. The net result was a failure. The Grand Master of the Orange Order is the Rev Martin Smith. He is a Unionist MR David Trimble, the leader of the Unionist Party, was the hero of Drumcree. It is widely accepted, and it has been acknowledged by the Unionist Council that it was his stance at Drumcree which gave David Trimble the seal of approval and rendered him worthy of being the leader of the Unionist Party in preference to John Taylor, who has been a Unionist politician for more than 30 years.

"Last week, another Unionist MP, Mr Roy Beggs, appeared in court charged with causing obstruction. His contribution, it is alleged, was that he tried with others, to block the port of Larne and bring it to a standstill in support of the Drumcree marchers. The port closure would have put pressure on the RUC and the economy of Northern Ireland.

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"We have yet to hear from the ups of the politicians at Westminster criticism of Unionist use of the muscle men within the Orange Order to get their way.

"It is important to examine the constitution, the tenets of the Orange Order, which appear to be so inextricably linked with the Unionist Party and which will threaten and use violence to get its way.

"I ask you, does this accommodate dialogue and agreement with nationalist Catholics? Is this part of the reason why the unionists can not sit down and talk without any precondition?

"If the United Kingdom Government seeks renunciation of violence by all would be participants as a precondition to all party talks, should it not seek a disassociation by the Unionist Party from the Orange Order and strongly condemn these violent shows of strength and challenges to authority throughout Northern Ireland, during the summer months?"

During the ceasefire various Irish politicians were at the top of lists for international recognition for their contribution to peace. Present day events had put the country back in the list of "trouble makers and terrorists".

Mr Haughey said "We must move from this position now and recover lost ground. People were dreaming one year ago that the gun and the bomb were gone out of Irish politics for ever. This dream is shattered".