A furious row erupted last night between a senior European Union official and Sinn Fein over the Irish language.
The incident took place on the first day of a three-day visit to Brussels by members of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Assembly members - numbering approximately 100 - were greeted at a special dinner in the Hilton Hotel by the Secretary-General to the European Commission, Mr Carlo Trojan.
After his speech, Mr Trojan invited questions from the audience. Mr Barry McElduff, a Sinn Fein assembly member for West Tyrone, asked a question, partly in Irish, about the parallels between the Basque and Northern Ireland situations.
Mr Trojan said: "I didn't understand a word you said." This brought raucous laughter from unionists.
Order was restored but Sinn Fein members were clearly very unhappy. The Mid-Ulster Assembly member Mr Francie Molloy, said: "If there was another flight tonight I would take it home."
The Secretary-General was brought over at Sinn Fein's insistence to talk to Mr Molloy and Mr McElduff.
An unfruitful exchange ensued. Sinn Fein alleged that Mr Trojan had played into the hands of unionists; Mr Trojan protested that this was unfair, and adverted to his efforts on behalf of the peace process.