History Made As Sinn Fein And The DUP Debate In The Assembly

By Stephen McKinley

History was debated as well as being made, in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, when Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams and the DUP's Ian Paisley had direct exchanges across the floor of the debating chamber for the first time, in a debate that included mention of the religious composition of the United Irishmen.

The debate in the assembly, which is operating according to special transitional rules pending a permanent settlement of differences between the parties and the formation of an executive, was held because of a motion tabled by Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey.

In his remarks, Adams referred to the role played by Presbyterians in the rising of the United Irishmen of 1798 against direct rule from England.

Adams then objected to an interruption by Paisley, in which the DUP leader referred to 'IRA/Sinn Fein.'

"There is no party here called IRA/Sinn Fein, the party is Sinn Fein," he said.

But Paisley said the term IRA/Sinn Fein was used by more than his party.

"Evidently the members of the British government don't know it, the members of the Tory party don't know it - for that is how they refer to them," he said.

Given the long-standing refusal of the DUP to engage directly with Sinn Fein, the exchange marks an important departure from this stance.

Dissent in the ranks of the DUP over aspects of the St Andrews Agreement has led to whispers of a potential split in the ranks of the DUP, now the largest Unionist party in Northern Ireland.

The DUP leadership held a one-day meeting near Templepatrick on Friday to agree the party's strategy regarding power-sharing.

If negotiations within and between the parties goes according to plan, by springtime Paisley could be First Minister and Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, Deputy First Minister.