Newly-appointed Senator Eoghan Harris explained his abhorrence of "provisional republicanism" to a West Belfast festival audience of 400 last night.
He was introduced by BBC political correspondent Martina Purdy, the chairwoman of the question and answer session, as a man who had taken many detours on his political journey from support of what many in the crowd would call "Sticky" or Official republicanism to supporting Bertie Ahern's Government.
Mr Harris, from the outset, was having none of it. He argued that through his political life he had been consistent in opposing the "Provisional IRA campaign".
He said he had a responsibility to "tell people what they did not want to hear" and to address his "own people's delusions".
The other speakers were Northern Executive Ministers Edwin Poots of the DUP and Caitriona Ruane of Sinn Féin, and chairman of the Policing Board Prof Sir Desmond Rea.
On the past Mr Harris told questioner John Finucane, youngest son of murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane, and others that the "cultivation of victimhood would not do anything for peace in the country".
With Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams in the audience, he said that Sinn Féin's achievement in the peace process was "epic" but that "playing the game of competitive victimisation would weaken their moral position".
Ms Ruane accused Mr Harris of being "presumptuous in presuming" he understood the views of the Irish people in the South.
"In the southern election you were put out of business," Mr Harris replied. When Ms Ruane complained about proposed PSNI replacements for plastic bullets Mr Harris challenged her: "what happens if a mob threatens a Catholic or a Protestant," he asked. Sinn Féin must adopt an "adequate" view on the proper use of force by the police.
Former senior IRA figure Martin Meehan, however, accused the Senator of not having the guts to admit he took the IRA oath four decades ago. Mr Meehan said he was proud to have been in the IRA and that Mr Harris was an "embarrassment".
Mr Harris replied: "what's bothering you is that you did not get what you wanted to get after 30 years. You took your spleen out on me who copped on early that this was a dead end." Mr Harris denied he was ever in the IRA.
Mr Harris gave one member of the audience odds of 10/1 on a £100 bet that Sinn Féin would be "mopped up" in the next southern general election.
"Given my views I thought you were a very tolerant audience," said Mr Harris, which filled him "with hope for the future".
