A delegation from the Ulster Unionist Party was in Dublin today to meet TDs at Leinster House.
The group, led by the Stormont arts minister, Michael McGimpsey, said that it wanted to explain why it was trying to exclude Sinn Féin from the Stormont Executive, saying Republicans had broken promises on the decommissioning issue.
The Unionist team also included Junior Minister, Dermot Nesbitt, and North Down MP, Sylvia Hermon. After his delegation's meeting with Fianna Fáil, Mr McGimpsey said that their discussions had been useful.
He conceded there had been no meeting of minds, but said that it was important that Fianna Fáil, as the main government party, knew where Unionists were coming from.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Fred Cobain MLA said: “It is very important that politicians in Dublin and the local media understand the depth of concern…about the ongoing refusal of the IRA and other terrorists to end their activities and begin decommissioning their illegal weaponry.
"The events of 11 September have transformed the political landscape across the world. It is morally indefensible for any organisation to continue to hold onto large amounts of arms and explosives for the purposes of terrorism.”
