The North's First and Deputy First Ministers have met residents from the loyalist Glenbryn Estate among cautious optimism that a resolution of the Holy Cross school dispute, now in its 12th week, could be within reach.
Afterwards, both sides described the meeting, which had lasted over an hour, as "useful". A Presbyterian Minister, the Rev Norman Hamilton, said he felt "positive" after the discussions in which many of the issues, particularly the residents' physical safety, had been addressed.
Mr Trimble said the situation in north Belfast would be top of the agenda of the Executive's meeting on Monday. However, before the meeting he said it would "not be helpful to place too many hopes on one meeting with one group when there are a number of groups involved".
A spokesman for Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan said they were treating the meeting as a "listening exercise".
He pointed to the work of the Executive's liaison officer, who had held over 100 meetings with concerned parties in north Belfast since August, and reported back to the First and Deputy First Minister on a daily basis.
"The two ministers have no illusion about there being a magic wand. They know that what is needed is a long-term approach to all of the issues arising out of north Belfast.
"There is a lot of hard work going on in the background to find solutions and high-level meetings such as the one tonight are only the culmination of all of these efforts," he said.
A spokesman for the residents said progress was being made. If some of their demands on security issues were met, a resolution to the dispute might be found sooner rather than later.
The residents also met the ministers for Regional and for Social Development, Mr Peter Robinson and Mr Nigel Dodds, to press them on issues such as traffic calming measures on the Ardoyne Road, CCTV cameras, a permanent police presence and a community development programme.
Yesterday's school runs passed off peacefully with a greater number of parents and pupils taking the buses provided for them to and from the school gate.
Arrangements for Holy Cross pupils sitting the second paper of their 11-plus exams this morning were being made last night.
It is believed their parents have agreed to take the children to the school's back entrance to avoid any upset. Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan are understood to have set aside time in their diaries to lead efforts to defuse sectarian tensions across north Belfast. On Tuesday, they met Holy Cross school governors and Catholic parents for discussions.