RENEWED efforts to breathe fresh life into the peace process are being made by the Government amid deep disquiet in the aftermath of the Garvaghy Road Orange parade in Portadown.
Government sources last night insisted that, "while the credibility of the British government has been damaged in the eyes of nationalists, the game is not lost".
During a 10-minute telephone conversation with the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, yesterday, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, repeated his disappointment at the decision taken to force through the Drumcree march but stressed the need to "move the peace process forward".
Against a general belief that the prospect of an IRA ceasefire has become more remote, Mr Ahern particularly emphasised the necessity to deal rapidly with the decommissioning issue. He spoke of the imperative of pursuing the political agenda and "confidence-building measures".
The fail-out from Drumcree will be discussed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Burke, and the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowiam, in a "fringe meeting" at today's session of the multi-party talks at Stormont Castle.
Mr Burke will convey "deep concerns at the weekend developments" and emphasise the need to "channel the frustrations of nationalists back into the political process", sources said.
Mr Burke and the Northern Secretary are also to fix a date for the next meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference. It is likely to take place at the end of next week, possibly July 18th, in London.
According to a Government spokesman, Mr Ahern pointed out to Mr Blair that "he had been attempting in his public comments to calm the situation in northern Ireland and expressed the hope that others would do likewise".
Earlier Mr Ahern told journalists that the Government would continue to search for a way towards inclusive talks. There had been contacts on a number of fronts with the British government and "I think it behoves us all now to steady up and to try to move the process forward.
"It is an important time for us to be conscious that it is dialogue and political persuasion and political effort that are important and we have to do that and concentrate on that," he said.
Government disappointment at the handling of the Drumcree issue was also reflected in the comments of the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, who said it was time to "get back to the real business" of the peace process.
The chairman of the Fianna Fail parliamentary party, Dr Rory O'Hanlon, briefed the Taoiseach on what he saw on the Garvaghy Road. Dr O'Hanlon who, along with Mr Eamon O Cuiv TD, observed the march, said great efforts were made by the local community to prevent any violence.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that there are ongoing contacts between Sinn Fein and the new Fianna Fail-led administration. In spite of the ban on Ministerial meetings with Sinn Fein, it is understood that informal channels of communication have been used since the Government took office.
Mr Ahern will be answering Dail questions from the Democratic Left leader, Mr Proinsias de Rossa, tomorrow on Government policy regarding meetings with Sinn Fein in the absence of an IRA ceasefire.
Though Government sources have described as "enormous" the consequences of the security forces' actions in Portadown, they said "there is still a large degree of sympathy for Mo Mowlam