There is no indication the Parades Commission decision not to allow Orangemen march down the Garvaghy Road next weekend will be reversed, Mr Gerry Adams has said.
Following a meeting in Government Buildings between the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and a Sinn Fein delegation, its party leader confirmed he had spoken to the British Prime Minister on Sunday morning, before the commission's decision, and was satisfied with Mr Blair's commitment to the commission's judgment on the march.
He had told Mr Blair "his responsibility was to stand up for the [Belfast] Agreement", which said people should be free from sectarian harassment. He also told him the only reason the Orangemen wanted to march down the Garvaghy Road was to "dominate".
Mr Adams said: "I am satisfied with what he told me."
Meanwhile, Government sources last night said they expected the British government to "respect" the Parades Commission decision.
The meeting between the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister earlier yesterday in Frankfurt considered the developing situation in relation to the Drumcree march next weekend. Sources in Dublin later said they believed Mr Blair was determined to stand firm behind the Commission.
According to Mr Adams, he had "no indication whatsoever that the decision will be reversed. On the contrary, all the indications are otherwise. But, remember, these decisions were reversed before and the RUC hacked its way through peaceful demonstrators. We had a day of shame for a number of years running on Garvaghy Road", he said.
He asked Orangemen to talk to the residents and urged the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, to "use his undoubted influence". Mr Adams said everyone should work towards ensuring a "calm, reflective period".
"In this particular case, without any qualification whatsoever, I believe the responsibility of democrats is to stand by the people of Garvaghy Road. I have no ifs, buts or qualifications about that whatsoever. The people of Garvaghy Road deserve a day free from sectarian harassment", he added.
Ms Bairbre de Brun, a Sinn Fein Assembly member, said there should be no question of pressuring the residents into allowing the march through their area. They were already "beleaguered", she said. They must not be treated as "an object in the way of something", Ms de Brun added.