REPRESENTATIVES OF the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) held separate meetings at Leinster House yesterday with Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Labour Party to discuss the future development of politics on the island as a whole.
The SDLP delegation consisted of members of the all-Ireland working party led by chairman Eamon Mullan. Fianna Fáil was represented by Minister for Justice and chairman of the party’s Northern Strategy Committee, Dermot Ahern; Fine Gael by party leader Enda Kenny and Fergus O’Dowd; Labour by party leader Eamon Gilmore and Ruairí Quinn.
The all-Ireland working group was set up at the SDLP annual conference last December.
Two months previously, then-taoiseach Bertie Ahern announced details of a Fianna Fail consultation process on organising politically within Northern Ireland.
Mr Mullan yesterday described the meetings as “exploratory”. He added that the SDLP had “invaluable links” with all major parties on the southern side of the Border.
Speaking personally, he said Fianna Fáil organising politically in the North would have ramifications for all parties.