The credibility of Northern Ireland's devolved government could depend on ending the Holy Cross school crisis, Sinn Fein president Mr Gerry Adams warned tonight.
As political efforts to resolve the bitter north Belfast dispute continued, Mr Adams indicated this was the fledgling power-sharing administration's acid test.
He declared: "The credibility and the belief in the potential of the institutions to deliver change could well be judged on how it faces up to the challenge that this blockade presents."
After meeting the board of governors at the Catholic primary school which is at the centre of a 12-week loyalist picket, Mr Adams accepted "limited" progress has been made during ongoing talks.
But with a Protestant woman arrested today during angry scenes on the school run, the urgent need for a halt to the stand-off was again highlighted.
Northern First Minister Mr David Trimble and Deputy First Minister Mr Mark Durkan will tomorrow meet residents from the loyalist Glenbryn estate in the next stage of intense talks.
The two cabinet leaders have already spoken with Catholic parents and school representatives. They are understood to be spearheading an Executive effort to end the fierce sectarian clashes which have erupted across north Belfast in recent months.
Mr Adams praised their intervention but insisted there was no excuse for continuing the protest.
Meanwhile SDLP North Belfast MLA Mr Alban Maginness told Friends of the Good Friday Agreement in London that the Holy Cross girls were having their most basic human rights trampled on.
"It defies belief that children should have to go to school protected from a sectarian mob by the police and the army," he said.
Glenbryn residents have been pressing for a number of measures to be introduced, including CCTV and road-calming initiatives before they will call off their protest.
One figure close to the loyalists said: "If we get what we are looking for, this will be over by Monday."
But Stormont sources were playing down chances of an imminent breakthrough.
It is expected that Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan will begin to assess their options on Friday, with the issue set to top the agenda at the Stormont Executive's next meeting on Monday.
The Democratic Unionist MP for North Belfast, Mr Nigel Dodds, is also due to hold further meetings with community representatives and statutory agencies tomorrow when he returns from business at Westminster.
The ongoing political efforts came as Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid demanded political leaders do more to tackle sectarianism head on.
PA