THE leader of the Progressive Democrats, Ms Mary Harney, was criticised by Mr Pat Magner (Lab) for her continued criticism of the Taoiseach over his handling of Sinn Fein.
He was speaking during the Order of Business yesterday when he said it was distinctly unhelpful that Ms Harney should continually call on the Taoiseach and others to cease contact with Sinn Fein. Nobody, he said, liked to be in contact with Sinn Fein, either in the Government or Opposition.
"It would be far more helpful for the peace process if she stopped sniping in the Dail at the Taoiseach and Tanaiste who are doing their level best to bring about peace on this island," he said.
Mr Magner made his outburst when senators from all parties commended gardai on their recent arms find in Clonaslee, Co Laois.
Earlier, Mr John Dardis (PD) had asked how was it possible for people who, on the one hand said they wanted the peace process to continue, and on the other hand were assembling explosives to blow up cities in England and also wreak devastation here at home and in Northern Ireland. He said this was the fourth week running where they had reason to comment on aspects of the peace process or lack of the peace process.
The leader of the House, Mr Maurice Manning (FG), congratulated gardai on the find at Clonaslee. What was found there, he said, was obscene and chilling. "If it had not been discovered we could have found ourselves, day after day, condemning atrocities and loss of life," he said.
"It was truly a frightening and chilling arsenal of death and it puts a huge question mark over the credibility of people who talk about the peace process and yet are ambiguous about activities of this kind."
This, he said, was the stark reality which underlined the peace process at the present time.
Mr Brendan Daly (FF) said people were shocked by the extent of bombs found on the site. It was a very serious state of affairs, he said, and asked if the Minister for Justice might expedite investigations into other finds of this nature.
Mr Sam McAughtry (Ind) believed Sinn Fein should give unionists more than baleful threats, alternating with hollow promises of fair play, when the British leave the North, "if the British do leave."
Sinn Fein/IRA, he said, should loosen up. If they could not sit at the table why did they not negotiate gradually away from it. They should let people have their views.
He said it would be no harm for Sinn Fein to say how it stood regarding consent. Anything that would bring Sinn Fein into dialogue would be helpful and welcome.