North Belfast MP Mr Nigel Dodds today conducted a tour of the Protestant community embroiled in the North Belfast school protest to highlight the sectarian and economic problems he said were the root of the dispute.
As all sides considered government proposals aimed at ending the bitter row, Mr Dodds and other community leaders set out to redress the damaging image which had emerged of the loyalist section of Ardoyne Road in the past week.
The Democratic Unionist MP said he hoped the exercise would take some of the heat out of the situation before the next potential confrontation, when classes resume at the Holy Cross Girls Primary School on Monday.
Loyalist residents have been protesting against Catholics bringing their daughters to school through their area and demonstrations over the past five days saw the children and their parents subjected to sectarian insults, a blast bomb explosion and noisy whistle and hornblowing.
Mr Dodds said of the Protestant residents: "People in this area are very concerned because of their fears and frustrations and because they feel those concerns are not being listened to. As public representatives we have to ensure that they have a means of getting their fears and concerns ventilated."
He said those feelings needed to be expressed in a way that did not bring about a repeat of the violence of last week.
Journalists were introduced to residents attacked from Catholic streets and were shown amateur video footage of sectarian confrontations.
They were also briefed on levels of deprivation in the area which it was claimed had been worsened by the tensions with neighbouring Catholic communities.
"I am hoping on Monday to talk about some things which I think can help in terms of getting the concerns of the community here addressed and moving forward the whole process in terms of being able to address the deep-seated issues," Mr Dodds said.
Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid is due to meet representatives of those involved in the dispute on Monday.
Mr Reid and the leaders of the devolved authority at Stormont yesterday produced proposals aimed at resolving the highly charged row.
It stated: "There is a widespread acceptance of the need for a formal mechanism for dialogue which would involve both the Executive and Secretary of State addressing a full range of social, economic and community issues both now and in the longer term."
The initiative would focus on housing, education, health and sectarian conflict.
There have been no face to face talks yet but it is understood mediators have been putting forward a number of proposals to give both sides breathing space.
PA