"I MARRIED my wife because I love her," declared the British Labour Party leader, Mr Tony Blair, following remarks by the new Grand Master of the Orange Order, Mr Robert Saulters, that he had been "disloyal" to marry a Catholic.
Asked by journalists during his visit to Dublin yesterday about the comments, Mr Blair said that religious differences should not matter.
"In this day and age, what is important is how people are trying to work hard for peace. I think it is sad that remarks like this are made, but I don't treat them seriously, he said.
The Tanaiste, Mr Spring, said such remarks could be "very damaging" and certainly hindered efforts to achieve peace and reconciliation.
"What we want to develop on the island of Ireland is tolerance, respect for diverse and different views and opinions," Mr Spring added.
Following his meeting with Mr Blair, the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, said the Orange Grand Master should retract the remarks about Mr Blair's marriage. He agreed that unionist politicians should distance themselves from the sentiments.
The leader of the Progressive Democrats, Ms Mary Harney, criticised Mr Saulters's statements. "Such remarks are unhelpful in the extreme. It is the sort of bigotry Northern Ireland could well do without. Does Mr Saulters understand the sort of damage which such comments can do in the context of Northern Ireland?"
Calling on unionist politicians to make it clear they did not support such views, Ms Harney said they had a duty to distance themselves from any remarks that were likely to give rise to sectarian tensions.