Rabbitte has moved Labour to the right, says ex-TD

A former Labour Party TD who is to appear before a specially-convened party complaints committee within weeks yesterday claimed the party had moved to the right under Pat Rabbitte.

Councillor Declan Bree, former Sligo/Leitrim TD, confirmed that a hearing would take place this month into complaints about his criticism of two party colleagues who voted against the Sligo Traveller accommodation programme last February.

Mr Bree said the decision of two local Labour councillors to vote against the programme was "disgraceful".

A complaint was later made to party headquarters by the local constituency secretary, but Mr Bree has consistently refused to withdraw his criticism.

In a strong attack on the party leadership yesterday, he said the decision to deem the complaint as valid, and to establish the special complaints committee, had brought the party into disrepute.

The former TD, who now faces expulsion from the party, added: "In the years up until Pat Rabbitte became leader it would have been inconceivable that an elected representative from the party would be hauled before a specially-established complaints committee for supporting the right of Traveller families to secure accommodation.

"In my opinion, it is a clear indication of the party's move to the right."

He added that he had served in the party under both Dick Spring and Ruairí Quinn "and I can only say that such a scenario would have been unthinkable during their respective tenure of office".

A spokesman for the Labour Party yesterday refused to comment on Mr Bree's remarks pending the hearing.

Councillor Veronica Cawley, one of the Sligo-based councillors who rejected the programme, has said that it would have resulted in four Traveller accommodation units being sited in one ward of the city and none in two other wards.

She said there was an onus on every councillor to make sure Traveller accommodation was provided in a fair and reasonable way.

It is understood that the general secretary of the Labour Party, Mike Allen, will present the case against Mr Bree to the complaints committee, established under the party's constitution.

Such a committee has the power to dismiss a complaint, to note a complaint but take no action, or to suspend or expel the subject of a complaint.

Sligo Borough Council became the first local authority to reject a Traveller accommodation programme at a meeting last February when seven councillors, including Labour's Jim McGarry and Ms Cawley, rejected it. A serious rift subsequently developed within Labour in Sligo.

Yesterday Mr Bree said he had no intention of apologising or withdrawing his remarks. "I think the people of Sligo will know that hell will freeze over before I renege on my principles."

He insisted that the decision to vote down the Traveller accommodation programme would compel Traveller families to continue living in appalling conditions. "Why in God's name should I apologise for that?"