SF slams planned McDowell appearance at SDLP meeting

Sinn Féin has accused Minister for Justice Michael McDowell of breaking Government protocol by agreeing to attend an SDLP meeting in Belfast later today.

The SDLP has insisted that Mr McDowell is attending the party as a representative of the Progressive Democrats and not the Irish Government.

However, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams claimed it was a clear breach of established protocol where Irish ministers do not campaign on behalf of Northern parties.

He said the fact that Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern also made an appearance with an SDLP candidate in recent days showed that the Irish Government had deliberately abandoned the protocol due to its growing antipathy towards Sinn Féin.