The Orange Order was wrong to blame the Police Service of Northern Ireland in any way for the recent violence in the north, the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, said in Dublin this evening.
Speaking about the violence over the last five days in Northern Ireland Mr McDowell said: "I fully support the chief constable of the PSNI Sir Hugh Orde in everything that he and his members are doing to counter the threat to life and property in northern Ireland".
"I condemn anybody who would use a firearm or use sticks and stones to attack the PSNI," he added.
Mr McDowell accused loyalist paramilitaries of using "anti-nationalist rhetoric as a smoke-screen to cover the fact that they are engaged in thuggery, violence, murder, drugs, prostitution and racketeering and to take the spotlight of them".
The Minister also reserved criticism for Sinn Féin saying that they were using loyalist violence to hide an upsurge in intimidation against McCartney sisters.
"I call on the Sinn Féin leadership to condemn outright this vicious campaign of intimidation against the McCartney's and use its undeniable influence in the Short Strand to bring the campaign to an end," he said.
Mr McDowell was speaking after a meeting with a delegation from the Ulster Unionist Party headed by Sir Reg Empey.
Mr McDowell described the meeting as "good and friendly" and added that it was "helpful to both sides in sorting out their respective positions".