Paterson must publish Saville

Speaking following the Conservative MP's appointment as 'our man in Ulster' Mr Durkan remarked: "Owen Paterson is already familiar with this place and its politics.

"As Shadow Secretary of State he has made a point of visiting every constituency with their respective MPs of all parties.

"The confidence that such engagement should have generated was marred by his personal involvement in the questionable alliance with the Ulster Unionist Party.

"His role in the Hatfield House affair and the sectarian pact in Fermanagh South-Tyrone put further question marks against him.

"Thankfully the NIO portfolio is much reduced but the Secretary of State can still have a significant role in some matters that affect us all."

Mr Durkan said the Bloody Sunday report should be his first priority.

"Publishing the Saville Report could be his first major parliamentary outing as Secretary of State.

"I believe that he now has some appreciation that how the report is published and received will be a test of him, the new government, his own party and parliament.

"Some of his previous utterances on the Saville Inquiry were less than sensitive and in meetings with family representatives he actually caused them some worry and seemed to them not to know or care that he was doing so.

"His understanding has come on however, but the people of Derry will want to be assured that he will undertake publication with urgency and sensitivity.

"I have tried to impress upon him the need to honour, or even better, the undertakings which Shaun Woodward gave to the Bloody Sunday families on arrangements for the report's publication.

"The sooner he can offer the families, the injured and the wider Derry Community that assurance the better.

"He should indicate a publication date soon and also commit to securing a full and proper parliamentary debate on the report some weeks later to properly reflect on its findings and implications."