Dublin's business elite, ever sensitive to changing political winds, are lining up in their hundreds to break bread with the Sinn Féin president, Mr Gerry Adams, it has emerged.
A breakfast meeting with Mr Adams organised by the Dublin Chamber of Commerce next Thursday has had to be moved from the Berkeley Court Hotel to a larger room in the Burlington Hotel in Upper Leeson Street.
However, the business community has made it plain to Mr Adams's office that it does not want to hear about his latest thoughts on the peace process. Business wants only to know about business.
"Sinn Féin is definitely on the agenda. They are part of the political landscape," Ms Gina Quinn, chief executive of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce told The Irish Times last night.
"We have given him a very clear brief. We don't want to hear him talk on the peace process, though he will obviously set his remarks in that context."
Up to 200 people are expected to attend, though, so far, Mr Adams trails behind the Chamber of Commerce's most popular breakfast guest, rugby commentator and broadcaster, Mr George Hook.
Sinn Féin has little obviously in common with the business classes.
Besides looking for higher taxes, Sinn Féin opposes domestic service charges though it has trimmed and tacked on this point in council chambers over the years.
"That is not reasonable," complained Ms Quinn, who said business rates are already paying for 70 per cent of the spending of all of the country's local authorities.
"We want to hear what he has to say. Local government must work for housesholders and for business. It is no longer acceptable to put additional percentages on rates," she declared.
If the business world is interested in talking to Mr Adams, then Mr Adams is equally interested in getting to know them. "His office were very quick to accept the invitation," said Ms Quinn.
In the old days, the business world could pretty much control local authorities, though those days are long since past. "People can't shut up shop and go off to a council meeting anymore," said Ms Quinn.
"One of the key characteristics of local government of the last few years is that business people are not getting involved. Councillors tend to be people who come out of services, whether it be from education or whatever.
"The business world has become much more demanding. Everyone is working longer and longer hours. People don't have time to be involved," she said last night.
