Sinn Féin to meet SNP for first time

Sinn Féin is to hold its first-ever meeting with the Scottish National Party at Holyrood today.

A spokesman for Sinn Féin confirmed that Upper Bann Assembly member John O’Dowd will lead a delegation to the Scottish Parliament for a round of meetings with MSPs, including the first-ever talks with the SNP.

Talks have also been scheduled with civil servants from the Department of Justice in Edinburgh on tackling sectarianism.

Representatives of the Scottish Socialist Party, Independent MSP Margo MacDonald and trade unionists are also due to meet Mr O’Dowd and his colleagues.

The nationalist SDLP and Ulster Unionists have in recent months held meetings with the Scottish Executive and MSPs, as well as anti-sectarian groups, to discuss how they are tackling religious bigotry.

Earlier this year Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell addressed members of the Northern Ireland Assembly on the benefits of devolution and briefed them on his executive’s efforts to stamp out sectarianism in Scotland.