THE Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, has accused the Fianna Fail leader of causing problems for loyalist leaders with his "one sided analysis of the Northern problem".
In a speech to a Fine Gael function in Mullingar last night he launched a strong political attack on Mr Ahern over the "ambiguity emerging in recent Fianna Fail thinking". The contents of the speech, which caught Mr Spring and Mr De Rossa by surprise, were not circulated to them beforehand.
Northern speeches, by convention, are circulated to the three Coalition leaders in advance, although in this case Mr Bruton saw his address as a party matter. It was handed out to the media by the Fine Gael press office.
Mr Bruton's speech, which has "flabbergasted" Mr Ahern, was presented last night as his detailed response to the attacks made on him by the Fianna Fail leader at Arbour Hill two weeks ago. Mr Ahern then suggested that "parts of the Government here seemed to be more interested in chasing after an unresponsive unionist leadership than consolidating the democratic nationalist consensus which under pinned the peace".
In the speech, designed to point out the differences between the Taoiseach, as leader of Fine Gael, and the Fianna Fail leader on Northern policy, Mr Bruton said he did not expect Government and Opposition to be in agreement on all matters involving the peace process.
"I do, however, regret the ambiguity emerging in recent Fianna Fail thinking, articulated especially by the current leader".
He said Mr Ahern's views expressed at Arbour Hill differed radically from the inclusive and radical approach of previous leaders of his party like Mr Sean Lemass and Mr Jack Lynch, who had gone out of their way to reach out to both traditions in Northern Ireland.
"You cannot claim to be pluralist in domestic politics while taking an unbalanced approach to Northern Ireland, as Mr Ahern is doing", the Taoiseach continued.
Three things would happen, Mr Bruton said, if a one sided approach was tried. If a political leader "fuelled anti unionist prejudices in the struggle to achieve his objectives" he would not be able to turn them off again once his objective was achieved. Secondly, a political leader who took a one sided approach to Northern Ireland put at risk the hard won pluralism within our own State.
In his most damaging accusation about Mr Ahern, he said that his one sided analysis of the Northern problem had, as had been seen, already caused problems for loyalist leaders like Mr David Ervine. "This is something that should be noted by Mr Ahern because, unlike the IRA, the loyalist organisations have kept their ceasefire," he added.
He continued that it was, therefore, very wrong of Mr Ahern to use pejorative phrases like "chasing after an unresponsive unionist leadership" in his misguided criticisms of this Government. "If we are to have, and to keep, ceasefires on both sides, political leaders here must show concern for the views of both sides," he said.
The serious exchanges between Mr Bruton and Mr Ahern are unlikely to jeopardise the bipartisan policy in the Dail on the peace process. The attacks do reflect the reality, however, that both Mr Ahern and Mr Bruton are preparing their political pitches in the event of a failure to restore the IRA ceasefire in the coming month.
