Labour row hots up as Bree targets Rabbitte

By Jim Gray (Sligo Champion)

The bitter internal Labour Party row in Sligo took another twist this morning with confirmation by Clr. Declan Bree that he is to lodge an official complaint against party leader, Mr. Pat Rabbitte, accusing him of bringing the party into disrepute.

This follows a letter to the Irish Times in which Mr. Rabbitte claimed that Clr. Bree had used his position as Mayor of Sligo to stop a Traveller accommodation site going into his own electoral ward and sought to put it into the ward of a colleague where there were already three such sites.

According to Clr. Bree, there is no substance to that claim, which he has described as outrageous and an unprecedented smear of a party member by a party leader.

Speaking to the "Sligo Champion" today, Clr. Bree confirmed that he was in the process of consulting with Labour Party colleagues regarding the submission of a formal complaint against the Party Leader.

"It has always been my view that the Party complaints procedure should only be used for major issues and serious matters that affect the party and its members or matters that bring the party into disrepute.

"On the 1st of Setpember, in the letters page of the 'Irish Times', Pat Rabbitte chose to make an attack not only on me personally, but also on the office of the Mayor of Sligo.I view this as a very serious matter. That he made the attack on the basis of totally unfounded and false allegations was particularly shocking.

"Some people have suggested that he was fed incorrect information. However, over three weeks have passed since he made the false allegations, and to date he has failed to retract them.

"Mr.Rabbitte's outrageous attack on me is an issue that cannot be ignored. Never in the history of the Party has a Party leader attempted to vilify and smear a Labour Party colleague in such a manner.

"Can you imagine Enda Kenny, Bertie Ahern, Gerry Adams or any other party leader behaving in such manner.

"I have been contacted by Party members from many parts of the country who have expressed anger and concern at his behaviour. Local party members who have worked tirelessly for the party over the years are incensed at his conduct" said Clr. Bree.

Meanwhile, Clr. Bree's own party disciplinary hearing has been adjourned until October 8th, following a two hour meeting of the Complaints Committee at Labour Party headquarters in Dublin last Wednesday.

Clr. Bree requested that the hearing be aborted when it emerged that eight new complaints were being proffered against him. The original complaint had been that he refused to apologise for describing as "disgraceful" a vote taken by his Labour party colleagues on Sligo Borough Council on a Traveller Accommodation programme.

He argued that the new complaints were not made in compliance with Labour Party rules and that the whole process had been compromised.

After nearly two hours of technical debate on this issue, the five-man complaints panel decided to adjourn the hearing.

During the course of the hearing, a number of Labour party members and Bree supporters placed a picket on the party headquarters. They were joined by Traveller representatives and members of the Dublin-based Pavee Point Travellers Centre.

In a statement, Pavee Point Assistant Director and Human Rights Commissioner, Martin Collins, said it was a very sad day when one was brought to task and expected to apologise for speaking up on issues of injustice and inequality.

"Pavee Point offers solidarity with Declan Bree who took a principled stand on the issue of Traveller accommodation.

"While we acknowledge that internal disciplinary matters are an issue for the Labour Party itself, we are concerned that the issue Clr. Bree is being disciplined around relates to Traveller accommodation.

"It sends out a negative message in relation to people who support Travellers' rights. It is crucial in this context that the Labour Party clarifies its clear support for the Traveller Accommodation programme", Mr. Collins added.

* Article published in "Sligo Champion" 28th September 2005