THE Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland football teams will be invited to a joint reception at Belfast City Hall, after the proposal was passed last night following a ill-tempered debate.
The event, which will celebrate the teams' achievement in qualifying for the European Championships this summer, was approved following a discussion lasting more than an hour.
Councillors accused each other of electioneering and political point-scoring over the plan, originally proposed by SDLP councillor Declan Boyle at a committee meeting.
Unionists also pointed out that a reception had already been held for the Northern Ireland team in November.
An Ulster Unionist proposal to invite fellow qualifiers England and Wales, along with both teams in Ireland, was rejected.
The council also rejected a DUP suggestion to send letters of congratulation to all four teams.
PUP councillor Billy Hutchinson claimed the joint reception could lead to protests.
Referring to comments he made at a committee meeting, he suggested the inclusion of one "controversial" Republic player, understood to be Derry-born James McClean, may lead to demonstrations.
"That player has republican views, he doesn't hide them," he said.
"I didn't call any protest, I said that someone like him, who is controversial... will cause protests."
Mr Boyle said he simply suggested the joint reception to recognise the achievements of both teams.
He said Republic manager Martin O'Neill and Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill are both from the north and played for Northern Ireland.
"It is important to realise that (the) two managers... played for the team and one of them captained it. We're sending out that message that we like you, we're best friends with you, but we don't want you in our parlour," he said.
DUP councillor Brian Kingston said councillors should have been consulted before the proposal was made.
"I do feel that football itself has been used as a political football, and that is regrettable," he said.
"There was a clear indication that there was a political motivation behind this motion".
But Sinn Féin councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile said the reception would merely celebrate the teams' achievements.
"This is an issue of respect... people from our city come from, by definition, different traditions and follow different teams," he said.
"The least we can do is offer them civic and appropriate recognition, a pat on the back from the citizens of Belfast."
A handful of loyalists staged a protest outside last night's council meeting but they quickly dispersed.
