Joint talks fuel FF-SDLP merger speculation

Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and SDLP leader Mark Durkan will jointly host a business breakfast today amid ongoing speculation about a possible merger between their two parties.

The event, organised jointly by Mr Ahern’s Fianna Fáil and the SDLP, will focus on the all-Ireland economy and will take place on the border between Ireland and the North.

It comes just days after Irish Finance Minister and Taoiseach-in-waiting Brian Cowen announced, with Stormont Finance Minister and Northern Deputy First Minister-in-waiting Peter Robinson, plans to allow the Irish Financial Services Centre to locate some of its operations north of the border.

Mr Ahern is due to stand down as Irish Taoiseach on May 6 and Fianna Fáil has already chosen Mr Cowen as his successor.

Last night the Democratic Unionist Party’s executive ratified Mr Robinson as their leader-elect to take over from Ian Paisley when he steps down in June as leader and Northern First Minister.

However his participation in the business breakfast will fuel further speculation that his party, which has been conducting a review into whether it will move into Northern politics, will link up with Mr Durkan’s party.

During a visit to Belfast eight days ago, Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern confirmed that Fianna Fáil was likely to extend its consultation to the summer following considerable interest in the move.

Fianna Fáil’s youth wing has set up branches at Queen’s University in Belfast and the University of Ulster’s Magee campus in Derry.

The party also recently registered its name north of the border with the electoral authorities.

However, while a substantial section of the SDLP would favour a merger with Fianna Fáil, another bloc in the party would have sympathies with the Irish Labour Party which has its own committee of Northern Ireland members.

Were there to be a merger between Fianna Fáil and the SDLP, it is believed this group would leave.

The SDLP has insisted today’s joint event is focused on the economy and is part of the party’s focus on cross-border co-operation and harmonisation.