Sir Reg Empey, the Unionist Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment in the Northern Ireland assembly, will travel to the United States next week on a trade mission with Mr Pat Doherty, vice-president of Sinn Fein. The trip to the US and Canada will be the first time Sinn Fein has joined forces with unionists to drum up business for a region the latter once dismissed as a failed political entity.

"The general message that we're trying to send out is that Northern Ireland plc is out aggressively seeking investment in the market place and everybody and that means former enemies as well as friends is pulling together," said Sir Reg.