The Parades Commission has been forced to overhaul its procedures after its decision barring the Orange Order from returning along the Garvaghy Road was quashed in the High Court over a procedural blunder.
However, the Commission has not said what has changed, or whether any of its members will stand down in the face of unionist calls for them to quit.
Secretary of State Chris Bryant is set to meet the Commission’s chair “as a priority”, the Northern Ireland Office said, after Mr Bryant warned in a social media post on Tuesday that the body “simply can’t function” without the respect of all communities in Northern Ireland.
It follows demands from the DUP and the Orange Order for all six current members to quit, after Mr Justice McAlinden quashed the determination barring Orangemen from returning along the Garvaghy Road.
The Secretary of State is responsible for appointments to the Parades Commission.
The Commission conceded in court that not all members had signed off on the Drumcree decision before it was issued in their names.
In a statement to The Irish News, the Commission said it welcomed the conclusion of the judicial review proceedings.
“The Commission did not contest the proceedings due to identified procedural issues with this specific decision. These concerned the internal processes for ensuring that each Commissioner had approved the final text of the Commission’s determination,” it said.
“The decision to impose conditions on the parade was taken unanimously at a meeting on 24 June 2026, at which all Commissioners were present, after careful consideration of a wide range of information available to the Commission.
“This included the results of a detailed programme of outreach conducted in January and April 2026, as well as reports from the PSNI, elected representatives and other stakeholders.”
The Commission said it had “already implemented procedural changes to address the issue identified in the proceedings” and would continue, “as a learning organisation, to ensure that its processes are lawful and appropriate”.
“The Commission will continue to discharge its statutory functions and also learn the lessons required from this case,” it added.
On the resignation calls, the Commission said only that “appointments to the Commission are a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland”.
The Commission also flatly rejected claims by Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart that it engages in “decision making via Whatsapp”.
“The Commission has never made decisions by Whatsapp,” it said.
“The decision in this case was discussed and reached unanimously by all Commissioners in a meeting. Whatsapp is occasionally used to inform Commissioners that the final text of a decision needs to be reviewed by them.”
However, the Commission did not address questions about a WhatsApp group in which Commissioners were allegedly urged to weigh the views of an anonymous online account.
A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Office said: “The Parades Commission is independent of government.
“Whilst taking time to carefully consider the High Court ruling, the Secretary of State will meet the Chair as a priority, to assess the actions needed to strengthen its procedures and ensure there is public confidence in the Commission.
“The Parades Commission has a challenging role regarding parades in Northern Ireland. It is vital that the public has confidence in its decision-making process.”