FIANNA Fail MEP, Mr Brian Crowley, called on the European Parliament to "express outrage at the actions of the British authorities, the Orange Order and the RUC over the past few days".
The vice chairwoman of the parliament, Mrs Nicole Fontaine, said he would allow short statements, not open the subject up for debate yesterday. It could be debated tomorrow, she said, when the parliament was discussing Ireland's plans for its presidency.
Mr Crowley asked MEPs to condemn "the capitulation of the British government and the RUC in the face of Orange Order mob rule". He also asked them to condemn the bombing of Enniskillen's Killyhevlin Hotel, the running down of a man by an RUC armoured vehicle, the use of 4,000 plastic bullets against nationalists in Derry, and the burning of Catholic families out of their homes.
In reply to a question from the Green Party MEP, Ms Nuala Ahern, Mrs Fontaine said that there would be a statement on Northern Ireland from the European Council of Ministers. But it was not known when this would be made.
Ms Ahern said: "It is clear that Northern Ireland is ungoverned and may be ungovernable under present structures."