FIRM steps must now be taken to ensure the events of the marching season "do not undermine the efforts to promote and build peace during the rest of the year according to a Labour Party delegation which observed the weekend's marches in Derry.
The delegation, consisting of three TDs, Messrs Declan Bree, Tommy Broughan and Joe Costello as well as Senator Sean Maloney, observed the nationalist march organised by the Bogside Residents' Group (BRG) on Friday and the Apprentice Boys' March on Saturday.
The delegation spoke to representatives of both communities in Derry, including Mr John Hume (SDLP), Mr Gregory Campbell and Mr Joe Millar (DUP), Mr Donncha Mac Niallais (BRG), Mr Chris McGimpsey (Ulster Unionist Party) and Mr Martin McGuinness (Sinn Fein).
Fianna Fail also sent a delegation to observe Saturday's march. The group included two frontbench members, Mr Ray Burke and Ms Sile de Valera, as well as Mr Eamon O Cuiv TD, Dr James McDaid TD and Mr Brian Crowley MEP. The delegation said the fact that talks took place between both sides had calmed the situation.
There was relief in Government circles yesterday that the weekend appeared to be passing without major incident in Belfast and Derry. There was praise for those who exercised a calming influence.
"A potentially very dangerous situation was defused because, at the crucial point, most of those involved showed responsibility and restraint," Government sources said, but a long term solution was required. New procedures had to be found to deal with the parades problem.