Representatives of the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition will visit 10 Downing Street today to discuss, at their request, with the British Prime Minister the problems associated with the Drumcree parade impasse.
The residents' group, which will include Councillor Breandan MacCionnaith of Craigavon, are expected to give Mr Blair a "dossier" cataloguing a series of incidents involving nationalists which have occurred in Portadown in recent years.
The majority of these incidents are believed to have taken place since the Drumcree standoff began in July last year. The group claims these incidents, particularly those of the past seven months, clearly show loyalist intimidation of the nationalist community in Portadown.
Mr MacCionnaith is also expected to take the opportunity to raise the issue of what he calls "the inability and unwillingness of the RUC to deal effectively with intimidatory loyalist protests which have been continuing on an almost nightly basis since last July".
Dr Dara O'Hagan, the Sinn Fein Assembly member for Upper Bann, said yesterday: "The Gar vaghy Road residents see this meeting with the Prime Minister as an opportunity to meet face-to-face and to tell him what they have endured, not only over the past seven months but indeed over a period of years".
Dr O'Hagan said the group would also make clear to Mr Blair that as well as the problems associated with Orange marches in Portadown there were also serious social and economic matters which deeply affected the Garvaghy Road. These, she said, were also of prime importance in a socially deprived area.
However, it is expected that Mr Blair will use the meeting to press on the group the need to positively engage in any future proximity talks involving the Orange Order. There are indications that the British government is planning to stage another round of talks between the two groups next weekend. It is expected this latest phase of talks will be chaired by Mr Blair's adviser, Mr Jonathan Powell, again.
Meanwhile the British government is understood to be considering a £15 million social and economic package directed towards finding a solution to the Drumcree impasse.
The money would be used as a bargaining ploy to persuade both the Orange Order and the nationalist Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition to reach an agreement which would allow the Portadown District LOL parade from Drumcree to be completed and permanent arrangements put in place for future marches.
British government sources stress that if money is allocated it must extend across the community in Portadown. A community forum, chaired by the Mayor of Craigavon, Mr Mervyn Carrick, is being suggested as the body to distribute the funds.