No immediate results expected in Holy Cross dispute

Northern Ireland's first and deputy first ministers have said people should not expect an immediate breakthrough of the dispute centred at Holy Cross Primary School in north Belfast.

Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan were speaking ahead of a meeting with residents living in the Protestant Glenbryn area of Ardoyne where Holy Cross Girls’ Primary School is situated, at Stormont on Thursday November 22.

Loyalist residents of Glenbryn have been protesting outside the school since the beginning of September. They say they are protesting because of alleged attacks on their community by the larger Catholic population of Ardoyne.

Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan will be told of the Glenbryn residents’ call for closed circuit television and road calming measures to be introduced.

Mr Trimble said the meeting was just one of many steps towards a resolution of the dispute.

“We’d dearly love to see the protest ended and the issues that are there dealt with and addressed satisfactorily. I'm not sure what progress can be made immediately, but we'll see what we can do.”

Mr Durkan said: “If people have expectations that there are guarantees that can be given and things that can be delivered in the course of one meeting, then that simply isn't how these issues can be dealt with”.

Thursday morning's school run passed off peacefully with more parents and children taking the bus to school. (AMcE)