Ahern to face down growing dissent over Hanly

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern will seek to quell simmering tensions over the controversial Hanly report at today’s Fianna Fáil parliamentary party and Cabinet meetings.

As internal party grumblings continue in the wake of the Michael Smith affair, Mr Ahern is expected to continue his hardline stance against party dissent while at the same time balancing the concerns of local TDs who fear the possibility of a negative backlash as a result of the Hanly proposals in next year's local elections.

Both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste Mary Harney yesterday insisted the Smith controversy was now over.