Mid-East crisis - McAleese sparks storm in a teacup

THE nose of Defence Minister Willie O’Dea is out of joint because of remarks made by President Mary McAleese in relation to the Lebanon crisis.

Ireland is fortunate in having a president who is both articulate, widely respected and deeply versed on a broad range of topics. Thus it is worth citing what she said to so rise the minister’s hackles.

Paraphrasing her comments, she said that without being able to pre-empt what the outcome might be, or indeed if such a plan might be put into action, she had no doubt that if UN chief Kofi Annan were to put such a plan before the Irish Government, it would receive the most profound consideration given Ireland’s historic commitment to Lebanon.

Mr O’Dea is being oversensitive when he claims this is not a function of the President. What Mrs McAleese said is hardly interfering with policy.

This is a storm in a ministerial tea cup.