Coalition tries to play down remarks about SF role in talks

THE Taoiseach and the Tanaiste are attempting to play down comments by one of their key Anglo Irish negotiators that all party talks without Sinn Fein are "not worth a penny candle".

It was clear last night, nonetheless, that the remarks, made by Mr Spring's special adviser, Mr Fergus Finlay, are causing acute embarrassment to the Government.

Both Mr Bruton and Mr Spring, through his spokesman, studiously side stepped the direct disowning of the remarks yesterday while opposition representatives called for clarification of the Government's position.

The latest controversy is expected to be discussed at a meeting of the Anglo Irish liaison group of officials, of which Mr Finlay is a member, in Dublin today. It is understood the issue was also raised in a telephone conversation between Mr Bruton and Mr Spring yesterday.

In an interview on Channel 4 Dispatches programme on Wednesday night, Mr Finlay stated that all party talks starting without Sinn Fein participation are not worth a penny candle.

Asked directly if they should then start at all, Mr Finlay repeated: "They will, but they won't be worth a penny candle".

On the first day of his official visit to Poland yesterday, Mr Bruton said they should aim at achieving a meaningful agreement that included everybody, "but equally I agree with Sinn Fein that you can't have a veto situation for one party. You can't have a veto for Sinn Fein.

"Sinn Fein can't stop the talks by not taking part, the talks will go ahead whether Sinn Fein take part or not, or whether Sinn Fein are allowed to take part or not", he continued.

Asked if he shared Mr Finlay's views, the Taoiseach reiterated that they wanted a comprehensive agreement with all the parties Unionists did not have a veto, but equally Sinn Fein could not have a veto.

A Government spokesman said last night there was no difference between Mr Spring and Mr Bruton on this point. The spokesman added that he believed the Tanaiste had no difficulty with what Mr Finlay had said.

In the Dail yesterday, the Fianna Fail spokesman on Foreign Affairs, Mr Ray Burke, called for clarification of the possible perceived divisions between the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste's office on a crucial issue on which a single approach was needed.

The PD spokesman, Mr Michael McDowell, questioned whether a statement that negotiations without Sinn Fein were not worth a penny candle was the equivalent of conferring upon the Provisional movement in its entirety a veto equivalent to the unionist veto which took so long to dislodge.

The Minister of State, Ms Joan Burton, standing in for the Tanaiste, who is ill, repeatedly stated that there was no disagreement within the Government on the matter. A statement to the effect that the negotiations would be greatly enhanced by the presence of Sinn Fein "goes without saying", she said.

"The negotiations can take place without Sinn Fein but they will be the lesser for that", she said at knot her stage.