A legal challenge over the make-up of the new Parades Commission was dismissed in the High Court in Belfast yesterday. The ruling annoyed Mrs Evelyn White, from Portadown's Garvaghy Road area, who brought the application for judicial review. "I'm just mad," said Mrs White, a grandmother who lives at Churchill Gardens. "The least the judge could have done was allow the six male members to stay on the commission and appoint a woman later."
Lawyers for Mrs White had argued that the Secretary of State, Mr Peter Mandelson, broke the law by failing to achieve a proper balance in terms of political opinion, religious belief and gender.
The Lord Chief Justice, Sir Robert Carswell, who had reserved judgment overnight, said he would give his reasons in writing at a later date. "I was anxious to give my decision now so that the commission knows where it stands," he added.
Breandan Mac Cionnaith, of the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition, who was in court, said afterwards he was not surprised at the decision. "Consistently the courts have not ruled in favour of any nationalists who have sought to take judicial action in relation to the parades issue," he said. Asked about an appeal, Mr Mac Cionnaith replied: "We will have to consider the written judgment when we get it before making any decision."