Hopes of end to school protests

An end to the Holy Cross School dispute could be in sight, it was claimed tonight.

As First Minister David Trimble and Deputy First Minister held talks in a bid to hammer out an agreement, the chairman of Holy Cross board of governors, Father Aidan Troy hinted a breakthrough could be on the way.

Emerging from a 40-minute meeting at Stormont, Fr Troy praised the joint initiative by the two leaders.

‘‘Certainly they seem to be very well aware of what is happening in our particular area,’’ he said.

‘‘I got the impression that should the protest end, I think that there’s a lot of work that is going to come into play very very quickly.

‘‘The protest must end and I think that is one of the great hopes for everybody that if, as seems possible now, that protest ends, then we will begin to see a lot of other work,’’ he added.

The First and Deputy First ministers also held separate meetings with North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds, Assembly members and Catholic parents.

A meeting with the loyalist residents from Glenbryn is planned for Thursday.

Government sources were insisting tonight that there were no quick fixes to ending the protest and addressing the wider problems of north Belfast.

‘‘There is no magic wand. These are very much hands-on, listening meetings and the whole focus is not just on resolving Holy Cross but the overall problems of north Belfast,’’ said one source.

Social Democratic and Labour Party Assembly member for the area Alban Maginness described the meeting with the two men as constructive.

Mr Maginness was part of an delegation which included two other Assembly members, Gerry Kelly of Sinn Fein and Billy Hutchinson of the Progressive Unionist Party.

‘‘The meeting went very well. I think it was very helpful. There was no grand plan suggested, it was more of an information exercise,’’ he said.

Sinn Fein Assembly member Gerry Kelly said it was a frank and positive exchange of views.

‘‘Whatever help is available from the Assembly and its departments should be given but the issue can only be resolved through dialogue at community level,’’ he said.

A spokesman for the Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan described the meetings as ‘‘useful’’.