Has Shinner boss Gerry Adams confirmed the North's right to exist as a Unionist state?
The answer's yes if you believe a couple of Gerry's statements following his pre-Easter trip to Gaza and Israel.
Republicans are kicking the Michael Collins 'traitor' label around like a GAA ball with dissidents and mainstream rebels now claiming their heritage from the Rising leaders executed by British officer, Bloody Maxwell, in 1916.
Unionists are now genuinely confused about precisely what direction Gerry is leading the Shinners.
After meeting Gaza's Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, Gerry remarked: "As I have said consistently there needs to be dialogue between the people of Palestine and their leadership and the people of Israel and their leadership. That is what worked in Ireland."
Are we then to presume the Sinn Féin's model for peace is still a united Ireland?
Not if you read the text of Gerry's post-Gaza spin announcing his party is to prepare a major report on the situation to influence international opinion.
Gerry noted: "I believe that only a two-state solution which provides for the security and prosperity of Palestinians and Israelis, as well as national rights for Palestinians, can deliver a durable peace settlement."
Looks like Gerry's two-state Irish model could be viewed as the old Right-wing Vanguard Unionist solution of the two nations on the same island.
And speaking of models, I can't help feeling sorry for the DUP's European runner, ex-West Belfast MLA Diane Dodds – wife of deputy leader, Nigel.
She'll be the fall girl if she fails to win back the DUP's seat from rival Tuvvie candidate Jimmy Allister.
Had the very likeable Mrs D not been looking over her shoulder at wee Jim, I'd be top of the heap to hope she becomes an MEP.
I'm the parent of an autistic teenager, and I know Diane has first hand motherly experience of the trials and challenges of raising her late son who was profoundly disabled.
As a champion for the rights of the disabled and their carers, Mrs D would become one of the leading voices in the European Parliament.
But many in Unionist grassroots are dishing out to the DUP what its supporters and UUP dissidents poured out on the Trimble camp a decade ago.
And there's also a significant religious element in the DUP which is really pissed off at the way their messiah, namely the Blessed Ian Senior, was shafted.
Mrs Dodds has to run because the party's big double jobbers are shit scared the DUP might not win back its MEP seat from Allister, or worse still, only get elected on transfers from the UUP's veteran Jim Nicholson.
Allister's performance will be the key to the make-up of the 2011 Assembly. If he polls under 30,000 votes in June, the TUV is well on the way to history's dustbin.
If the TUV vote climbs to 70,000 – even if he doesn't get re-elected – this could result in eight to 10 MLAs less than two years later.
This is enough to hold the balance of power, or even turf the DUP/Shinner Executive out on its ear.
