TD may quit party over McCabe issue

Fianna Fáil was making frantic efforts to keep a Limerick East TD on side today amid concerns he would quit the party if Det Garda Jerry McCabe’s killers are released.

Peter Power, who lives just yards from the slain Garda’s widow Anne, has told Taoiseach Bertie Ahern of the huge groundswell of opinion in the city and the anger triggered by threats that the four Castlerea prisoners would be released.

He said: “I had a long discussion with the Taoiseach and expressed the very difficult situation we are facing in Limerick.

“Feelings are running very high about this because of the proximity of Anne McCabe to the people. She is a highly respected person in the community and the people are siding with her very strongly.”

Mr Power told Mr Ahern he was looking forward to seeing the final details of the British and Irish governments' proposals.

He admitted he has been the subject of personal abuse in his constituency by people protesting at the possibility of the prison gates being thrown open to the gunmen.

As fears grew that the popular TD would resign, the Taoiseach’s office was in contact with him this morning, just hours before Mr Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair were expected to release details of their efforts to reach a deal.

Mr Ahern has warned there would be no deal on the restoration of Northern Ireland’s political institutions unless the gang of four is released.

Pearse McAuley, Jeremiah Sheehy, Kevin Walsh and Michael O’Neill are serving between 11 and 14 years for the manslaughter of the 52-year-old detective, gunned down in a hail of bullets in the botched robbery attempt of a post office van in Adare in Co Limerick in June 1996.