Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's comments acknowledging mistakes were made on all sides in the handling of Brexit are a welcome olive branch.
After years of tensions between London, Dublin and Brussels, his remarks in a recent interview are another sign of efforts to reset relations.
It further opens the door to a compromise on the Northern Ireland Protocol, as he conceded that the Brexit treaty governing trade into the region was "too strict".
Read more: Brendan Hughes: Brexit NI Protocol letter prompting unionist fury stated the obvious
The UK government equally seems willing to share out the blame if it means reaching a deal with the European Union to resolve the impasse.
Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker stunned observers last year after apologising for his "ferocious" stance on negotiations with the EU following the Brexit referendum.
The former strident Brexiteer and member of the pro-Brexit European Research Group of MPs later said he was "happy to eat a bit of humble pie" in order to "restore broken relationships".
By contrast, the rhetoric from unionist parties remains unmoving. No acceptance of any fault, and no entertaining of any compromise - not an inch.
The DUP branded Mr Varadkar's comments an "admission" mistakes were made, while party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said: "The protocol was not, is not and will not be supported by unionists."
Yet again, it shows little indication of any groundwork being laid to prepare grassroots unionist voters for an inevitable compromise on the Irish Sea border.
This is despite the UK and EU being clear that even if changes in its implementation are agreed, the protocol is going nowhere.
The DUP campaigned for Brexit, sided with hardline Brexiteers in the ERG in the Commons, backed Boris Johnson for Prime Minister and ended up being shafted with the protocol.
But when asked during last year's Stormont election campaign, Sir Jeffrey declined to apologise for any of the DUP's handling of Brexit - insisting that problems in how it unfolded were the fault of others.
Instead it is Leo Varadkar who is painted as the villain of the piece by unionists, directing their anger over the protocol at him rather than the British government or themselves.
Political parties rarely apologise, and the DUP is no different.
When Sir Jeffrey last November acknowledged his claims that the protocol delayed heart surgery were wrong, he expressed regret but there was no apology.
And when he did eventually accept his comments were inaccurate, the Lagan Valley MP claimed health trust officials had apologised to him.
Mr Varadkar's conciliatory remarks in a Press Association interview came ahead of his expected visit next week to Northern Ireland - his first since returning to the role of Taoiseach in December.
It will be hoped this will go some way to easing unionist tensions which have seen his name and image appearing in threatening graffiti and posters in loyalist areas.
With the DUP still blocking Stormont over the protocol, next week will also see Stormont party leaders join fresh talks convened by Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.
The round-table discussion scheduled for Wednesday will take place exactly three years since devolved government was restored after the last power-sharing crisis.
The three-year hiatus prompted by the RHI scandal came to an end following the negotiation of the 'New Decade, New Approach' agreement in 2020.
If there is to be a breakthrough this time, it will again require a new approach from all sides, including the DUP.
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