The SDLP in North Antrim has rejected claims that it behaved "disgracefully" by refusing to support a motion inviting the President, Mrs McAleese, to visit the Glens of Antrim.
Two SDLP councillors attending a meeting of Moyle Council in Ballycastle, Co Antrim, on Monday abstained on a Sinn Fein motion extending an invitation to the President to visit the area. This prompted criticism from Sinn Fein and from an independent councillor, Mr Oliver McMullan.
The motion, which was carried by three votes to two, was proposed by Mr James McCarry, a Sinn Fein member of the council. He described the decision of SDLP councillors Mr Malachy McSparran and Mr Archie McIntosh to abstain as "disgraceful".
Mr McMullan claimed that the abstentions pointed to continuing divisions over the President.
Mr McSparran dismissed the claims. He accused Sinn Fein of tabling the motion in order to provoke unionist members of the council: "Sinn Fein was just trying to put unionists on the spot. They knew damned well that such an invitation would put unionists on the spot. We abstained because we did not want this issue to become divisive."
Mr McSparran said that there was absolutely no connection between the SDLP abstentions and purported comments by Mrs Brid Rodgers about Mrs McAleese's alleged views on Sinn Fein.
"I am a strong supporter of Mary McAleese. I know her and would gladly welcome her into my home or to the Glens of Antrim, but this is not the time to be issuing such invitations", Mr McSparran added.
