IAIS: Leaks Rock Presidential Candidate in Ireland


Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit


LEAKS ROCK PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
10/20/97 13:12 EST

SENIOR SDLP (Social, Democratic, and Liberal Party) figure,
Brid Rodgers said last night that the leaking of private
papers from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin
which are potentially damaging to the peace process was
"disgraceful, dishonourable and wreckless". However, she
refused to comment on the views which the leaked document
attributed to her. According to the memo, Mrs Rodgers had
accused presidential candidate, professor Mary McAleese of
pursuing a Sinn Fein agenda.


The comments were allegedly made when Mrs Rodgers, who is
part of the SDLP negotiating team at the peace talks, had a
private conversation in April with an official from the
Irish department of foreign affairs. Details of the
conversation were leaked to two Dublin newspapers yesterday,
in what is regarded as a concerted attempt to undermine the
presidential election campaign of Professor McAleese.


A second leaked memo reported a conversation held between
Prof. McAleese and an official from the department, in which
Prof. McAleese is alleged to have commented on the growing
electoral support for Sinn Fein. She made clear at the
weekend that she has always supported constitutional
nationalism and voted SDLP in the last elections.


Prof. McAleese last night refused to comment on the leak.
At a hastily arranged press conference after a function in
Galway during which where the presidential hopeful had been
mobbed by reporters, Prof. McAleese said only that she had
dealt with the leaks issue comprehensively at the weekend
and that she had answered all questions relating to it
already.


Meanwhile, the Dublin government has ordered a police
inquiry in to the source of the leaks. There is also concern
 that there may be more documents available which could
potentially cause more damage to McAlesse and the Dublin
government.
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news as it happens in Ireland and the North.  Please
visit us on the World Wide Web at http://www.iais.org
 
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nytire-10.21.97-17:02:44-7790