CLAIMS OF DIRTY TRICKS

GREEN leader John Gormley has pointedly refused to rule out a Fianna Fáil dirty tricks campaign for causing Trevor Sargent’s resignation as a junior minister.

Tensions between the coalition partners increased last night as Mr Sargent became the second Government casualty in less than a week, following the resignation of Defence Minister Willie O’Dea last Thursday.

Mr Gormley said he found it “very interesting” that a damaging letter written by Mr Sargent two years ago had surfaced just days after the Greens forced the departure of Mr O’Dea.