The North Down MP, Lady Sylvia Hermon, addressed a Fianna Fβil meeting in Dublin last night. The Ulster Unionist accepted the invitation to speak at the meeting of the Fianna Fβil Dublin South constituency meeting. This first meeting of its kind between the two parties took place in a suburban pub.
Arriving for the meeting Lady Sylvia said that the Irish Government needed to know what it was like to be "an endangered species".
"Its very difficult to be a pro-agreement unionist. So rather than let our case go by default I was invited here and accepted." Asked if her attendance would be criticised by anti-Agreement unionists Lady Sylvia said that was always a possibility but she hoped they would understand that political dialogue was entirely healthy.
The meeting was attended by over 70 people including the Government Chief Whip, Mr SΘamus Brennan and the Minister of State Mr Tom Kitt. The media were not allowed to attend the meeting.
Mr Brennan told The Irish Times it was "refreshing" not just for Lady Sylvia to speak but also for members of Fianna Fβil to hear her.
Lady Sylvia spoke on the subject of "why pro-agreement unionists are an endangered species". She said a primary objective was to "reach out to one another in friendship as equals with different aspirations".
She said she intends to build on the benefits from the Belfast Agreement. Lady Sylvia also said the agreement changed the concept of nationality "from one of territory to one of personal choice and left the issue of a political union on the island to the freely expressed consent of the people".
She viewed the meeting as an opportunity "for elected politicians and party members from different traditions to exchange views in a relaxed environment".
She hoped the meeting would be the first of many rather than a one-off event, adding that she expected Fianna Fβil to recognise and acknowledge the legitimacy of the unionist aspiration and identity. The meeting would help, she said, build positive relations and establish a better and informed understanding between the two parties.
The meeting began as a normal Fianna Fβil constituency meeting, but after a short business session, standing orders were suspended and the UUP MP was invited to address the members. Lady Sylvia is a noted critic of anti-agreement members of her party. Assembly member Mr Peter Weir, was a member of her constituency association in North Down before he was expelled for not supporting Mr David Trimble in the vote for First Minister.
In last June's Westminster election, she defeated UK Unionist Mr Bob McCartney, another opponent of the Belfast Agreement.
Last week the North Down unionists hosted the Deputy First Minister and SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan at a private meeting in the constituency. It was the first such meeting between the parties at leadership level.
Lady Sylvia was strongly condemned for issuing the invitation and, more importantly, holding out the prospect of a similar invitation being sent to Sinn FΘin's Mr Martin McGuinness. She was condemned by speakers at a recent DUP conference, including the Rev Ian Paisley who said it amounted to an act of betrayal and an insult to the widows of murdered RUC officers.