The latest twist in the Derry name change saga illustrates yet again how difficult it is to achieve any form of cross-community agreement over contentious issues.
However, as we have previously pointed out the entire debate is more than a little academic.
Practically every nationalist will always refer to Derry, while most but not all unionists prefer Londonderry.
This was the case long before Derry's local authority changed its title 20 years ago, and any alteration to the formal name of the city will have no impact on prevailing attitudes.
If every resident of the city can expect
that the term of their individual choice will
be employed on their official documents and communications with statutory bodies, that seems a reasonable step forward.
However, suggestions that shortening the titles of towns like Newtownards or Carrickfergus can be compared to the Derry issue are curious.
The politics and history involved in the Derry scenario are completely different and this should be generally accepted if progress is to be made.
It is also unfortunate to hear suggestions that the city council's name change prompted thousands of unionists to leave the west bank of the Foyle.
Population movement in Derry preceeded the name change by some time and involved a complex range of factors.
Derry has never been as tightly gripped by sectarianism as Belfast and some other centres have been.
With mature consideration on all sides, this is a reputation which Derry is fully capable of maintaining.
