Several Dublin city councillors are believed to be unhappy with the organisation of the VIP stand at the recent St Patrick's Day parade, where the attendance of President Mary McAleese led to local representatives and their families being downgraded on the viewing platform.

There is understood to have been some annoyance that the lord mayor's office was not informed about President McAleese's decision to attend this year's parade.

"The president always takes precedence but there was an issue about the seating arrangements this year, " Lord Mayor Catherine Byrne confirmed this weekend.

These matters will be raised at a forthcoming meeting between public representatives, council officials and the organisers of the St Patrick's Festival in the capital. The organisers of the parade will be asked to ensure that in future years all council members in their ceremonial robes, as well as the lord mayor's family, are seated together, irrespective of what other dignitaries accept invitations to attend the parade.

The organisers will also be asked to ensure that in future years the lord mayor is collected by car after the parade directly from the viewing stand.

A presentation on the future organisation of the Dublin parade is expected to be made at the July meeting of Dublin City Council. Several councillors are understood to be unhappy that the parade in the capital does not reflect life in Dublin. "The feedback is that we need more input from local communities. It is a parade for Dublin, " Byrne said.