THE general consensus on European issues between the two main parties came under strain yesterday as Fianna Fail and Fine Gael fell out over federalism.
A Fine Gael spokesman has challenged Fianna Fail to a public debate on federalism following Fianna Fail criticism of the Taoiseach's New Year message, in which Mr Bruton said that he would be "fighting" for a federal Europe in 1997.
Mr Ray Burke, Fianna Fail's foreign affairs spokesman, said the Taoiseach probably did not fully understand that this implied an end of Ireland's independence and sovereignty.
"A federal Europe in the true sense means that the European Union itself becomes a sovereign super-state and that all the existing nations are downgraded to become subordinate states of the Union, like Alabama or Missouri in the US.
"Any such move could involve a further massive shift of power from national capitals to Brussels, even with the principle of subsidiarity. The Taoiseacb, whether he realises it or not, is effectively proposing that Ireland should formally cease to be an independent sovereign state."
The Fine Gael spokesman said that Mr Bruton had a long-standing belief in a federal Europe and claimed that Fianna Fail had always been ambivalent on this. "Their views are closely allied with the Gaullist philosophy of a Europe of nation-states. It's outdated and not in the best interests of Ireland."