Bizarre stand-off between Gormley and backbenchers

ATTEMPTS to iron out coalition policy differences ended in farce yesterday as a bizarre stand-off developed between Fianna Fáil backbenchers and Environment Minister John Gormley.

A scheduled meeting between the two had to be postponed until today after the FF environmental group insisted the Green leader came and met them in their party room.

Mr Gormley said that would not be appropriate as two officials were to outline policy issues and they could not be dragged into party politics. One FF TD described the minister’s attitude as an “insult” and the time window for the meeting was lost.