THERE were heated exchanges between the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, and the Fianna Fail leader, when Mr Albert Reynolds's recent visit to the Falls Road in Belfast was raised.
Mr Bertie Ahern asked Mr Bruton to disown and repudiate the "disgraceful and unwarranted" remarks by the Minister for Tourism and Trade, Mr Kenny, when he had referred to the visit by the former Taoiseach, and one of the architects of the peace process, to open a community centre in the Falls Road.
The Minister had claimed, Mr Ahern said, that "it had cast doubt on Fianna Fail's unequivocal commitment to democratic politics". Mr Ahern added that he was proud of his party's stand on democratic politics and on the North, and "I would ask you to disown your Minister today."
Mr Bruton said that as Mr Ahern knew there was a general election campaign on in west Belfast. "Deputy Albert Reynolds appeared in a photocall with one candidate, Mr Gerry Adams, of Sinn Fein, but did not inform the other candidate of the SDLP, Dr Joe Hendron. Now, I think any deputy in this House knows that if you choose to appear in somebody's constituency, and appear with one candidate and not with the other, you are showing favouritism."
Mr Ahern said the Taoiseach would know that members of the Fianna Fail parliamentary party had already been actively involved in the SDLP's campaign. "We have played it absolutely fair at every stage with the SDLP. We have traditionally followed the SDLP."
He repeated his call to the Taoiseach to condemn Mr Kenny's remarks. Mr Bruton said he believed that the Minister had drawn a legitimate cause for concern from the unilateral action by a deputy who, Deputy Ahern had said, would be his special delegate on Northern Ireland. "That he should appear with one candidate of one party in a photocall during a contested election, causing concern to the candidate of another party, is open to misconstruction.
Mr Bruton said he believed that Mr Reynolds's gesture was ill advised and open to misconstruction. He had no doubt about Mr Ahern's views on the matter and indeed he would compliment him on the article he had published in the Irish News.
After some further exchanges, Mr Bruton said he had no doubt about the commitment of Mr Ahern or his party to democratic politics. "But I believe that his inability to control the activities of Deputy Reynolds in this matter does create doubt, not in my mind but in the minds of others who are not as well aware of all the deputy's statements as I am."
