Eoghan Harris (Independent)

In light of all the Taoiseach has done to promote pluralism in Northern Ireland, it would be a pity if he did not distance himself from the uses put by some SDLP councillors to the money made at a recent breakfast lunch fundraiser in the Carrigdale Hotel in County Louth. The Taoiseach may not be aware that some of the proceeds of that breakfast were being used to pay the fines of a group of five delinquent SDLP councillors who followed 12 Sinn Féin councillors in a tribal action to deprive Willie Frazer's group, Families Acting for Innocent Relatives, the use of a community-owned hall in Armagh in 2002. It may well be that the SDLP did not advise the Taoiseach that some of the funds raised at that breakfast were going to be used to pay off these fines but in light of the fact he has done nothing but advance the pluralist cause and represent the progressive tradition, the Lynch tradition, in Fianna Fáil, it would be a tragedy if any construction could be put on this that Fianna Fáil was any way condoning the actions of these five SDLP councillors and the 12 Sinn Féin councillors who conspired to ban Protestants from the use of that public hall.

Although I would not in principle be against Fianna Fáil having relations with the SDLP, as there are many things to commend it, it would be a pity if Fianna Fáil were to be led by local groups of SDLP councillors with local tribal agendas and be carried on their coat tails in these matters when it has broad national aims which may be contrary to the local aims of tribal SDLP and Sinn Féin councillors.