Willie Frazer of Families Acting for Innocent Relatives (Fair) has met senior gardai in Dublin to agree the route of the march, which will take place on 25 February.

He said marchers had been told they could carry Union Jacks and Ulster flags. They will be accompanied by six Orange bands. "The Garda have been brilliant. They're placing no restrictions on our parade.

"The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) could learn a thing or two from the guards. They couldn't care less if we walked on our hands down O'Connell Street so long as we keep law and order, " Frazer said.

"They told me I'm a hate figure for some people down south but sure I can live with that." Republicans are expected to hold a protest rally.

Republican sources said they were considering assembling at the GPO.

Up to 1,000 Orangemen, IRA victims and their supporters will gather on Parnell Street on the Saturday morning. They will set off down O'Connell Street at 12.30pm.

They will cross O'Connell Bridge and march up Dawson Street to Leinster House where they will be addressed by unionist speakers, including DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson and Ulster Unionist Assembly member Danny Kennedy.

Michael McDowell has been invited to attend the rally and meet IRA victims.

Frazer said the organisers were still looking for a sympathetic TD to chair the event.

He described his meeting with garda assistant commissioner Al McHugh and other senior officers on Friday as very constructive.

"They said as long as our parade is peaceful, they'll police it like any other.

"They told us we're more than welcome so long as we're law-abiding. You couldn't ask for better than that. The guards have a great attitude and Hugh Orde and his PSNI men should be sent down south to learn a few lessons from them.

"They're more straight than the PSNI and they don't talk at you, they talk to you. I haven't a bad word to say about them in their dealings with us. We'll keep liaising with them until the parade."

The Orangemen want to wear Orange lilies on the march but the flower is out of season. "We were thinking of dying Easter lilies orange but that seems to be working out quite expensive so we're now seeing if we can import flowers from Holland instead, " Frazer said.