There were conflicting reports last night of a secret deal between Sinn Féin and the DUP over the prospect of Orange marches through nationalist areas in return for a restoration of the Stormont Assembly.
Sinn Féin last night dismissed the claim that it will mobilize supporters to ensure controversial Orange Order marches will soon take place in nationalist areas, even against residents' wishes.
A spokesman told The Star: "There has been no deal in the broader or specific sense around parades in Belfast or the parades issue generally."
He said: "There has been no deal done with the DUP on the basis of needing to provide a sweetener for their constituency."
Nevertheless, The Star> was told by a confidential source yesterday the deal had been reached in recent weeks, in response to a DUP suggestion to Sinn Féin it could not control loyalist reactions if such marches did not proceed.
The source said this brought a commitment from Sinn Féin that it would ensure the marches being given safe passage, even against the wishes of residents, through nationalist areas.
Talks have been going on to resurrect the Stormont Assembly, with the two prime ministers recently warning such talks could not go on forever, and that the Assembly could be shut permanently if there was no progress.
However, despite the Sinn Féin denial, the claim the parties have been in talks and have come to an agreement would not go away last night.
One high profile residents' group spokesman has left a group, angry at the failure of Sinn Féin west Belfast MP Gerry Adams to lend his presence to the residents' protest on the Springfield Road last Saturday, over the annual Whiterock Orange Order parade.
And the Sinn Féin spokesman conceded the party had broached the issue of talks on parades with the hardline loyalist party last week, but the DUP had not responded.
"The move was made on the back of a comment last week by DUP member Nelson McCausland that they would not discuss with us anything to do with the constitutional position. So we thought we would try and push them on the parades issue, but they didn't respond."
He added: "At this point all that's really been happening is circulating positional papers on a range of issues, through the British government. No deal has been done on the basis of a threat of loyalist violence, or the need for the DUP to provide something for their constituency."
However, one DUP source dismissed the claim, saying: "This comes nowhere near our minimal demands." And another Sinn Féin source laughed off the claim and said last night: "Are you sure this isn't someone putting a mix in? I doubt this very much, and Sinn Féin aren't even talking to the DUP."
When informed about the discussion papers avenue, he said: "Someone is getting their wires crossed, or else pushing an agenda. There is no word of that at all. People in the party are very angry about the recent reversal of the Springfield Road decision by the Commission. This will not have been done for a deal on parades as such, but to restart the interface talks and groups, because in the aftermath of that many nationalists were ready to walk away from them.
"So if anything it's an attempt to restart those to keep the peacein those places."
The prospect of such a deal, even if to pave the way for a restoration of the peace process, could provoke a backlash from nationalist residents in areas like the Lower Ormeau, Ardoyne and Garvaghy Road, angry that concessions forced on the loyal orders may be surrendered without their agreement.
But fears of republican ex-prisoners and activists, using violence against residents were last night played down, as it emerged that rival republican groups, like the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) said it was aware of the moves, but was not rejecting them outright.
The issue centres on the principle of consent from residents for Orange and other loyal order marches through the mainly nationalist Lower Ormeau in south Belfast, through Ardoyne and even Portadown's Garvaghy Road.
The various loyal orders have always refused, allegedly on principle, to engage with residents in such dialogue, claiming various residents groups were merely Sinn Féin or IRA 'fronts', pointing out many residents groups' spokesmen were ex-IRA prisoners.
To deal with the violence which erupted as both sides clashed and the-then RUC beat nationalist residents off roads in Portadown and Belfast, the British Government formed the Parades Commission to adjudicate on contentious parades.
On the annual 12th celebrations in Belfast, Orangemen and supporters march from various points around the city and parade to 'The Field' at Edenderry.
This includes a march to the Ormeau Road bridge, which has been blocked by the Parades Commission for some years, and also from loyalist north Belfast through the republican Ardoyne area, scene of vicious trouble over the years.
Last week in Belfast there was widespread disbelief within loyalism and beyond when the Commission banned the annual Whiterock Road Orange parade for the first time.
This followed complaints by the nationalist Springfield Road Residents Coalition (SRRC) and international parades observers there had been displays of support for loyalist terror groups by bands and some followers in 2003.
However, the ban was reversed by the Commission within two days, amidst warnings from Unionist politicians and Orange Order figures of potential disorder, and traffic disruption by protestors.
The Star has also learnt loyalist paramilitaries warned ahead of last week's Springfield Road march there would be another 'Sean Brown' if the route was not allowed. This was a reference to the still-unsolved sectarian murder of GAA figure and Bellaghy man Brown, shot dead after being abducted while locking the gates of the Bellaghy GAA club in 1997.
However, our source said: "Does this mean that republicans supporting Sinn Féin will use violence if residents protest? What about the principle of consent from residents? What will stop further concessions being made?
"Does Sinn Féin think if they reach a deal on this that the DUP will not raise the bar higher come September?"
Sources have conceded there has been a softening of views by various figures linked to the parades issues, with Portadown District No 1 Lodge press officer David Jones saying after the most peaceful Drumcree parade in recent years, that members were now willing to meet with the Parades Commission, something forbidden by banned by the Grand Lodge.
The source claims the Parades Commission has banned the upcoming Whiterock Road parade on 12 July, while allowing the simultaneous Ardoyne parade, and that this is part of the 'deal'.
The source said: "This was done at the behest of Sinn Féin, who told the Commission that while they could safely marshall the Ardoyne parade, they couldn't marshall both it and the Whiterock together. This is Sinn Féin adopting the policy of 'Croppies lie down."
