The British government has expressed dismay that the findings of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry will not now be made available until next March.
It had been expected by the end of this year.
Relatives of the victims are to seek a meeting with the Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward in a bid to have the report’s new publication date brought forward.
Thirteen men were shot dead when British paratroopers opened fire on a civil rights march in Derry’s Bogside area in January 1972. A 14th man died later in hospital of his injuries.
Lord Saville’s findings into the shootings have been delayed again and will not be with the Government until March 22nd.
The report, which is expected to run to nearly 5,000 pages, is virtually complete but it is understood technical difficulties linked to the printing of it is holding up the process. Relatives are also concerned that a general election may be called early next year in Britain, delaying the publication of the report further.
The inquiry was established by then prime minister Tony Blair in January 1998. It has cost over £200 million to date.
Mr Woodward, who is in New York for the annual Clinton Global Initiative hosted by the former president, said last night he is “very concerned” by the delay and is “particularly anxious for the families and for the soldiers who were involved”.
SDLP leader and Foyle MP Mark Durkan said the delay "heaps huge distress to the families and adds complications to the consideration of the report."
"This news will be a huge disappointment and a matter of some concern to families," he said. He added it was "unfortunate" that the Lord Saville's report could now appear at a politically sensitive in the run-up to the next Westminster election.
“It’s understood that the report will be followed some weeks later by a full debate in Parliament which could now be further complicated by the change of ministers or even a change of government in the aftermath of a general election,” Mr Durkan added.
Tony Doherty, whose father Patrick was among the victims, said the families were hugely disappointed and gravely concerned about the new delay. “We will be making our sense of disappointment known to Lord Saville and Shaun Woodward within the next 48 hours, asking them to re-consider the day and bring it forward by a number of weeks,” he said.