Deep symbolic meaning was attached to this week's meeting between the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, and her new counterpart in the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Sir Reg Empey, which attracted a full media posse and glowing feel-good emotions.

The two ministers announced a £15 million upgrade on the electricity interconnector and the journalists were assured that it was not just for providing electricity needs for the Republic's growing demands. Power flowed the other way too, at least sometimes.

One hack could not resist the pun and asked whether this could be described as real power sharing. But amidst the merriment the Margin noticed the sobering note to Sir Reg's press release: "Today's meeting was a scheduled discussion which has been in the diary for some time and would have taken place between the appropriate ministers, with or without devolution."