UUP minister gets Irish welcome

Gerry Adams welcomes UUP economy minister to west Belfast

Ulster Unionist minister Sir Reg Empey made his first ministerial visit to the nationalist Falls Road area of west Belfast on Friday.

Sir Reg, who carries the portfolio of enterprise trade and investment, toured an Irish language economic project.

He had breakfast with the area's MP, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, and chatted with Irish language activists in a coffee shop in the Culturlann complex.

Security was low key for the visit which up until recently, would have seemed unlikely due the vast political differences between unionists and republicans.

The minister said his job took in all elements of business in Northen Ireland and stressed that he would treat people in nationalist areas the same as everywhere else.

"My job is to represent their interests as well as everybody else in Northern Ireland so all I'm doing is my job.

"I see my job as to represent them just as I have to represent people in the east of the city and that's what I intend to do."

Sir Reg pledges to represent everyone

Sir Reg said he did not think twice about visiting the area and was even tempted to conduct part of his speech in Irish - although he had finally decided not to do so.

"It would have been a bit corny because I knew I hadn't got it right," he said.

"I have looked at it but I find it a very difficult language."

Sir Reg was shown initiatives including a translation and information technology service providing jobs and serving the thriving Irish language movement in west Belfast and further afield.

The constituency now has one secondary school and seven primary schools in which pupils are taught entirely through the Irish language.

The projects are aimed at building on the bilingual skills being fostered by the cultural revival.

The language is officially recognised by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Mr Adams said the engagements were more evidence of a changed political dispensation.

"You can see the Minister was well received, there was a very mighty cead mile failte (100,000 welcomes) for him," he said.

"We have a lot do to, but this is a sign of what has been done."