THE prospect of Northern Ireland becoming a bitterly divisive issue in the imminent general election loomed large as a result of heated cross-floor accusations.
It all began peacefully enough with an appeal by Mr Sam McAughtry (Ind) that the peace process be dropped from the electoral exchanges currently taking place. But the temperature quickly rose following his observation that most of these exchanges were coming from the leader of a political party in the South.
In an apparent reference to Mr Bertie Ahern, the Northern senator said: "I would like to ask him what do you think the people of the North feel when they hear this is an issue down here in an election, that we can settle the peace process better than you can?" An impartial observer would wonder that a state with a contiguous border with another state which was so troubled and tortured, would carry on in this way in an election.
Was it not a lesson for Southern politicians that in the most vituperative election that Britain had seen this century the bi-partisan policy on the peace process remained rock solid?
Mr McAughtiy said he was appealing especially to senior Opposition politicians, and he was reminding them that the peace process was an attempt to cut down the killing and maiming rate in the North. It was not a means of building any politician's reputation.
Mr Michael O'Kennedy (FF) said he believed all the parties were united on the need to bring about peace through reasonable and proper understanding and negotiation. That had been his party's policy over the last two decades.
Mr McAughtry: "I am talking about the means in which it is carried out."
Mr Paddy McGowan (FF) said he did not take too kindly to Mr McAughtry saying that he wished to give advice to senior Opposition politicians. "I thought that Senator Sam was elected here to advise the Government on how best to tackle the problems of the North. Either, Senator Sam, you have failed or they have failed to take your advice, because, between the lot of you, you have failed miserably over the last couple of years.
Mr McGowan contended that no progress had been made on the issue since the Rainbow Government had come to power. The Taoiseach had engaged in meetings with John Major and Tony Blair purely for media "optics".
Mr Michael Lanigan (FF) said everyone in the House must compliment the totally courageous stance taken yesterday by the Protestant Primate of All Ireland, Dr Robin Eames, when he had suggested that the Orange Order should look at its rule stating that members could not talk with Roman Catholics. Dr Eames had got very much involved in an attempt to eliminate the tragic situation in the North where Catholics and Protestants were being killed for no reason.
Mr Pat Magner (Labour) said there had been a tradition in the House over the years that various Taoisigh had appointed members from North of the Border so that the Senate could listen to and respect the views of people who had a unique perspective to present. Taoisigh on both sides of the political divide had made heroic efforts to try to settle the Northern question. "The idea of throwing across the floor that we did better than you or that you did worse than us is the height of nonsense and hypocrisy and should not be entertained in this House." There should be no divisions on Northern Ireland in the Dail or Seanad, because there had not been over the years. Such an approach should not be started now for electoral purposes.
Mr Rory Kiely (FF), a member of the Munster Council of the GAA, condemned the murder of Bellaghy Club chairman, Mr Sean Brown. It was an atrocious and sectarian deed, he said. House leader, Mr Maurice Manning, said Mr McAughtry had made his case well and fearlessly. "I don't think it needs any further comment."