DR MO MOWLAM will today launch the first of her "confidence building" measures in the North - with new public order rules requiring longer notice of parades and empowering police to confiscate alcohol from people attending marches.
And as she prepares a mission statement setting out the goals of her new administration, the new Northern Ireland Secretary has confirmed her hope that legislation giving effect to the North Report proposals on parades will be included in next Wednesday's Queen's Speech, which will set out the programme for Britain's new Labour government.
Dr Mowlam made that announcement outside 10 Downing Street after yesterday's hour-long meeting between the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair.
Mr Bruton declared himself "very heartened" by the warmth of his reception from the new Prime Minister and suggested Mr Blair "will make a very major change and improvement for the better in all the issues as far as Ireland is concerned". But he was forced to admit there were no "instant solutions" as both governments maintained pressure on the IRA to restore a "quality" ceasefire.
Dr Mowlam repeated the new government's desire for "inclusive" all-party-talks on the future of Northern Ireland. But at the same time she all but ruled out Sinn Fein's participation when the Stormont talks resume on June 3rd.
Asked about renewed speculation in the wake of the Taoiseach's Oxford Union speech, Dr Mowlam said: "I am not sure that June 3rd is a possibility. The time-scale now is very short.
Dr Mowlam's caution followed Mr Bruton's earlier suggestion that it was "difficult but possible" for Sinn Fein to enter the process due to resume in just under four weeks. And while the Taoiseach held out that possibility last night, he agreed that "it all depends on the nature of any new ceasefire".
Earlier at Downing Street, Mr Bruton said he believed Mr Blair understood "the urgency of dealing with these matters in a way that will bring about a ceasefire". But he stressed the onus on the republican movement "to make the decision in the first place whether they wish to abandon the option of violence and come into the political process".
Mr Blair, he believed, "recognises there is a moment of opportunity here". But Mr Bruton said that "obviously he has to be very balanced and careful in how he responds to that".
Dr Mowlam said, "what matters is what we see from the IRA" and spoke of the need for a ceasefire of "a deeper nature after the violence and acts of the past six weeks".
While stressing her desire to have Sinn Fein included, Dr Mowlam repeated: "If that's not possible, then we will go ahead."
The Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, is urging the new government to do precisely that. And as the competition for the affection of the new government gathered pace, Mr Trimble last night claimed an early advantage. Of his prior meeting with Mr Blair on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Trimble said: "Meeting me before Mr Bruton I regard as a statement of priorities and it was good to see it."
There is uncertainty, meanwhile, about plans for a meeting between Mr Trimble and Mr Bruton. It is understood that the UUP leader asked to see Mr Bruton during his two-day trip to Britain but that the Taoiseach's diary made that impossible. Sources said an alternative had been offered and a meeting might take place next week.