A senior Orange Order figure has criticised the police response to arson attacks on Orange halls, describing it as "ineffective".
Drew Nelson, the Order's grand secretary, called for the nationalist community to make known to the PSNI who was responsible for the latest attacks in Co Armagh, which damaged two Orange halls. There were 27 other attacks last year.
"The police seem unable to protect the halls, they seem unable to detect those responsible," said Mr Nelson. "The police have been so emasculated they seem to be no longer an effective force in Northern Ireland. What we want to see is the nationalist community handing over the people, giving information on the people who are carrying out these attacks."
The Orange halls at Ballylisk and Scarva Road, Tandragee, sustained smoke damage and broken windows. Speaking at the site of the attacks, Mr Nelson added: "People are very unhappy in this section of the Protestant community. The political temperature is rising. People are saying to me, 'is this what we can expect from the so-called new Northern Ireland?'"
Orange Order grand master Robert Saulter said: "The Orange Order is totally committed to playing a positive role in the future of Northern Ireland but it seems that evil people are determined to attack our culture and heritage. We need the support of government but so far it has been sadly lacking."
The PSNI said yesterday: "We are aware of the concerns of the Orange Order in relation to Orange halls. The chief constable and members of the senior command have met with Order representatives. Each incident reported to police is investigated robustly and every effort is made to get the evidence needed to catch those responsible and bring them before the courts."
The Order has pressed for compensation processes to be simplified. First Minister Ian Paisley has met Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward on the issue.
A spokesman for the Order has condemned the latest attacks. "In the last six months a quarter of Orange Halls in Portadown district have been the subject of serious attacks," he said. "We had hoped that the new year would see an end to these attacks but clearly the orchestrated campaign against our halls and Protestant culture has not stopped.
"Since 1971, there have been 287 arson attacks on Orange Halls and 50 were completely destroyed. In 2007, 27 halls were targeted by arsonists.
"We understand that there have only been five convictions in relation to these 287 attacks."