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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Fianna Fail 'will organise in NI' | Fianna Fail 'will organise in NI' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Fianna Fail are to organise in Northern Ireland, Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern has confirmed. | Fianna Fail are to organise in Northern Ireland, Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern has confirmed. |
| It is the first time in the party's 81-year history that efforts have been made to mobilise on an all-Ireland basis. | It is the first time in the party's 81-year history that efforts have been made to mobilise on an all-Ireland basis. |
| Mr Ahern said Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern would chair a committee to implement the move. | Mr Ahern said Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern would chair a committee to implement the move. |
| "This moves reflects the dramatic changes we have seen across the island," the party leader said. | "This moves reflects the dramatic changes we have seen across the island," the party leader said. |
| Dermot Ahern said the party did not intend to contest any seats in a Westminster election. | Dermot Ahern said the party did not intend to contest any seats in a Westminster election. |
| "We wouldn't be interested in going to the House of Commons as a political party. That is for others to do," he said. | "We wouldn't be interested in going to the House of Commons as a political party. That is for others to do," he said. |
| "We feel we should have representation in Northern Ireland as a political party." | "We feel we should have representation in Northern Ireland as a political party." |
| Earlier on Monday, the SDLP refused to rule out a possible merger with Fianna Fail and party leader Mark Durkan later welcomed the decision to organise in the north. | |
| "As a true republican party, we believe that the social and economic interests of the people of the entire island are best served by ever-deepening co-operation between north and south. | |
| "We anticipate a healthy and forward-looking debate as a means to forging a new political path for the whole country," Mr Durkan said. | |
| Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd also welcomed Fianna Fail's decision. | |
| "Unfortunately, it has taken Fianna Fail this long to embrace the positive aspects of developing its party throughout the 32 counties," he said. | |
| "But we are encouraged that the taoiseach has now finally acknowledged the importance of such a move." | |
| 'Unwise' | |
| However, Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said the decision was "unwise and unhelpful". | |
| "The last thing we need is another abstentionist party organising here," Sir Reg said. | |
| "Bertie Ahern at a stroke has transformed himself from a potential partner in the process of normalisation, to a rival." | |
| Commentators have said that Fianna Fail's plans to organise in Northern Ireland have been spurred on by the setting up of a powering-sharing executive at Stormont, making such a move less politically sensitive. | Commentators have said that Fianna Fail's plans to organise in Northern Ireland have been spurred on by the setting up of a powering-sharing executive at Stormont, making such a move less politically sensitive. |
| It has also been suggested that its success against Sinn Fein in the Republic's recent election played a part. | It has also been suggested that its success against Sinn Fein in the Republic's recent election played a part. |