Lady Hermon addresses Fianna Fail meeting

Ulster Unionist MP Lady Sylvia Hermon tonight broke new ground by becoming the first member of her party to address a Fianna Fail meeting.

Two weeks ago the North Down MP again scored a first in Irish politics by inviting the nationalist SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan to address UUP members in her constituency.

During her speech at a pub in Goatstown, in the Dublin South constituency, Lady Sylvia spoke about the divisive issue of symbols in Northern Ireland most recently with the debate on a symbol for the new Police Service of Northern Ireland.

And she said the British coat of arms, displayed above judges in the courts of the north, should not be "vandalised" and ripped out, but "enhanced", by adding to the symbol.

"Perhaps we could add a harp, a symbol of the Republic, to the coat of arms," she suggested.

"That way, Unionists would not feel that their culture was being eroded," she said.

Lady Hermon accepted the invitation, made two weeks ago, to speak at the South Dublin constituency meeting.

The Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, and junior minister Mr Tim Kitt will attend the meeting. A spokesman for Ms Hermon told ireland.comtoday she did not wish to sensationalise or overplay the meeting despite it being the first of its kind between the two parties.

The spokesman said the meeting was an opportunity for elected politicians and party members from different traditions to exchange views and opinions in a relaxed environment.

Lady Sylvia Hermon won the North Down seat in June's general election after defeating UK Unionist Mr Robert McCartney and Assembly member Mr Alan McFarland.

Additional reporting: PA