A senior Sinn Féin member has warned that a difficult marching season could sour the political atmosphere in Northern Ireland.
Newry and Armagh MP Conor Murphy’s comments came two days after a group of Orange bandsmen and their supporters were attacked as they passed the nationalist area of Ardoyne, in Belfast.
Mr Murphy was speaking at the annual Wolfe Tone Commemoration at Bodenstown in Co Kildare.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin has also criticised the decision of the Northern Secretary to order the re-arrest of a 33-year-old man who was freed under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
Seán Kelly had been jailed in connection with the 1993 bombing of a Belfast shop that claimed ten lives.
His early release was yesterday suspended after the Northern Secretary, Peter Hain, said he had received security intelligence that Mr Kelly was involved in terrorist activity.
However, speaking at at Bodenstown, Mr Murphy said the decision was unjustifiable.
He said Seán Kelly had actually been a positive force in preventing confrontation between communities.
He said the Northern Secretary had acted on "securocrat advice" which was unreliable.
However, Mr Murphy said he did not believe the issue would impact directly on the IRA's current consideration of appeals for it to embrace democratic activity.
