Murphy to meet parties ahead of marching season

Secretary of State Paul Murphy has confirmed he is to meet with Northern Ireland's main political parties ahead of this summer's marching season.

Mr Murphy said he wanted to maintain the momentum created during last year's mainly peaceful summer.

"Last year was the most peaceful summer that many of us can remember," Mr Murphy said. "Communities across Northern Ireland enjoyed a holiday period that was not tainted with violence and the television screens were free of the images which have done so much to damage our reputation.

"This year, I want to encourage everyone to make the effort, once again, to work positively for the benefit of both their own communities and of the wider community."

Mr Murphy's comments come a few days after Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble warned paramilitaries that any plans they may have to escalate violence over the summer would only lead to a harsher second Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) Report.

Mr Trimble was speaking at the House of Commons during a Committee debate on the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Modification) Order 2004, which empowered the Secretary of State to take action in respect of the financial sanctions recommended by the IMC.

In its first report, published last month, the IMC confirmed that "on the basis of reported figures - which, especially for assaults, may not reflect the full picture - the scale of paramilitary violence since 1 January 2003 has been worryingly high: approaching one murder a month; some three victims a week both from shootings and from assaults".

(MB)