Fianna Fáil considers northern move

It looks like Fianna Fáil is finally going to dip its toe into the water north of the border:

The Taoiseach will this week announce a major initiative which could eventually result in a merger between Fianna Fail and the SDLP.

Mr Ahern will use his party's "think-in" gathering in Wicklow this week to outline what will effectively be his plan to check the forward march of Sinn Fein.

The Sunday Independent understands that Mr Ahern intends to establish a committee under the chairmanship of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern to seriously explore the idea advancing Fianna Fail as a political party into the North. (Sunday Independent)

The timing of this looks sensible to me, when one considers the Irish Government's growing financial commitment to the North, and the increasing emphasis on bread and butter issues there. I suppose if you're going to take the flak in Shannon, you might as well take the benefit in Belfast. (Although Belfast probably is the part of the North where Fianna Fáil would be weakest.)

Presumably, this will accelerate the Irish Labour Party's moves in the same direction.