The leader of the Labour Party, Mr Ruairi Quinn, has expressed concern about the Taoiseach "going over the head" of the Northern Minister of Agriculture, Mrs Brid Rodgers, on foot-and-mouth precautions. Mr Quinn said yesterday the statement by Mrs Rodgers that at no stage had the authorities in the Republic mentioned problems concerning ports in the North raised questions as to why Mr Ahern chose to raise the matter directly with the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, at the EU summit in Stockholm.
He said that, contrary to the Taoiseach's action, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, had confirmed again yesterday his satisfaction with the co-operation between the authorities here and in the North. "Given the statement from Mrs Rodgers, the Taoiseach's intervention with Mr Blair is peculiar. Having worked hard to establish the Northern institutions, it is strange to see him bypass them in this way."
This was particularly so, said Mr Quinn, when Mr Ahern was aware that the Northern authorities would be seeking regional status from the European Commission this week.
"By going to Mr Blair over the head of the Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland, the Taoiseach is feeding the suspicion that the problem on this island is in some way comparable to that in Britain itself. Given that Mr Walsh doesn't seem to share the Taoiseach's views, he should clearly be more circumspect at this trying time."
Mr Quinn said the need for co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic had never been greater.
"Now is not the time for phoney wars," he said.