Sinn Féin have hit out at what they have described as the "weak excuses" from leaders of the Orange Order and the Unionist parties in light of last week's violence surrounding the re-routed Whiterock Parade.
Sinn Féin's criticism comes in the wake of Wednesday's controversial press conference by the Orange Order in which they failed to accept responsibility for the recent violence.
Lower Falls councillor Marie Moore said that Orange and Unionist leaders have been inconsistent in their reasoning of what caused the loyalist violence.
"They cannot even decide whether the frustration they describe is because a sectarian march didn't go through a nationalist area or because of poverty and educational under-achievement. If there was no deprivation in some of these communities would they have accepted the Parades Commission decision?
"Whatever excuses they put forward the fact is that their poor leadership and their continued failure to engage in the political process is hurting everyone.
"The leaderships of unionism, represented by the DUP and the UUP, claim that their communities have no voice. Is this not their responsibility?
"Is this not the result of their failure, as politicians, to provide that voice, their failure to show positive leadership and their failure to engage on behalf of those they represent?"
Cllr Moore said that all parties should combine to work together on the issue of poverty which was mooted as a reason for the recent violence, and affects both communities.
"The truth is that direct rule ministers have been let off the hook because political parties have not worked together to put them under pressure to ensure that tackling poverty is a priority. Only last week the DUP lambasted Sinn Féin women for arranging a protest highlighting educational cuts. How serious are these people about tackling educational under-achievement?"
"Sinn Féin genuinely want to tackle deprivation, poverty and disadvantage, no matter where it occurs and unionists will find a ready ally in Sinn Féin in bringing forward effective solutions and demanding action from the British and Irish governments.
"Unionists whether in the DUP, the UUP or the Orange Order should sit down and talk with Sinn Féin, their fellow citizens. That is the best way to tackle the very real social and economic issues which affect all of us in this society."
