Coalition clashes over Dáil plan for North MPs

THE Coalition parties clashed last night over controversial plans to allow Northern politicians speak in the Dáil.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell described the proposals by the Taoiseach as “unacceptable”.

In a letter circulated to party leaders on Thursday, Mr Ahern suggested that a new Oireachtas committee be established to hear presentations from Northern MPs on Good Friday Agreement issues.

However, the committee would be a “committee of the whole House”, comprising all 166 TDs and meaning its sessions would likely take place in the Dáil.

Sinn Féin, which has long been pushing for speaking rights for its Northern MPs, supports the proposal, as does the SDLP.

However, Fine Gael, Labour and, significantly, Mr Ahern’s Government partners the PDs immediately rejected the plan.

Yesterday’s comments by Mr McDowell emphasised how far apart the PDs and Fianna Fáil are on the issue.

“The Progressive Democrats are very clear on this. The Good Friday Agreement envisages the establishment of a parliamentary forum where equal numbers North and South would participate on an equal basis from the (Northern) Assembly and the Oireachtas,” he said.

“That’s what the Good Friday Agreement stipulates and that’s what must be done, and the Progressive Democrats reject the idea that a parallel North-South forum should be established within the Oireachtas which would sweep away the basis [of] what was envisaged in the agreement, and which would tend to reward Sinn Féin abstentionism because they wouldn’t go to Westminster and [yet] they [would] come South and participate in sessions in Dáil.

“That’s simply not acceptable to us under any circumstance.”

Mr Ahern suggested in his letter that the committee would meet at least twice a year, and stressed that the proposal involved neither full Dáil representation nor speaking rights for Northern politicians.

But the PDs and the opposition feel the proposal would give the MPs Dáil speaking rights by default.

Mr Ahern is thought unlikely to pursue the proposal in its present form given the level of opposition to it and the rancour it could create among the Coalition partners.