WHEN the Tanaiste accused the British government of adopting "divide and conquer" tactics, he was apparently giving vent to a sentiment which the Government has stifled for some time in the interests of good relations.
On Sunday afternoon politeness finally and publicly gave way to the vernacular usually reserved for domestic politics. Rarely does an Irish Foreign Minister accuse a British government of such murky conduct. But Mr Spring's assertion indicates the extent of the current discord in Dublin London relations.
"No side has been more vigilant at biting its tongue and saying nothing than the Irish Government," said one senior source in Dublin last night.
"But sources in London have been briefing for some time that they find it easier to deal with John Bruton than Dick Spring they are trying to develop the view that there are serious differences between the two."
Mr Spring yesterday stood by, his "divide and conquer remarks. But the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, commented with a bite in his tone that the Tanaiste had used "rather surprising language". A pity it was said outside the channels of the Anglo Irish intergovernmental conference, he added, in that jaunty way that is said to so irritate Mr Spring.
On Thursday the two ministers meet in London to try to rescue some form of joint strategy from the devastation. But they do so in an atmosphere tainted with distrust.
Conflicting accounts are emerging as to what happened in that critical phone call between the Prime Minister, Mr John Major, and the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, on the eve of the publication of the Mitchell report.
However, the latest vexation between Mr Spring and Sir Patrick Mayhew goes back beyond last week. In happier times, the relationship has been reported by aides to be "cool, sometimes frosty", with Sir Patrick seen from Dublin as invariably sympathetic to the unionists.
The gloves are likely to be well and truly off when the two confront each other in London on Thursday. They come from "very different perspectives", another source adds in a tone that suggests they see eye to eye on little.
Well placed sources recall "how bad it got in September" when the summit was called off at the last moment and senior figures in London indicated that "the rats had got at" an agreed joint communique. Dublin, they suggested, had capitulated to Sinn Fein, an allegation that caused fury.
The same sources in Dublin say that well placed voices in the British administration continually try to press the view that there are serious differences between the Departments of the Taoiseach and of Foreign Affairs.
According to reports from Belfast, Sir Patrick told local journalists at Hillsborough Castle on Sunday evening that he was surprised at Mr Spring's accusation of dubious behaviour on London's part. He repeated yesterday his belief that they were better left for another forum.
But the coalition leaders are at one. Senior sources in Dublin last night continued to insist that the British were guilty of sleight of hand last Wednesday, while London insisted that Mr Major was up front and honest with Mr Bruton throughout.
"They are trying to say that John Bruton got it wrong. They are trying to give the impression that the Prime Minister was open and frank. He isn't and he wasn't," one source declared.
Downing Street claims that Mr Major consulted the Taoiseach on his plans for elections to a Northern assembly. But the Government insists this was not the case. Spokesmen are emphatic that Britain defaulted on a promise to run through the text of the Prime Minister's statement before it was issued in parliament.
Six days on from the fateful phone call, questions persist as to how the Government was not aware after it that the two sides did not have a common view on the Mitchell report.
Fianna Fail will today attempt to establish what the Taoiseach asked Mr Major and what the latter replied. Specifically, they want to know if Mr Bruton pressed for all party talks on the basis of Senator Mitchell's six principles, and as to what the Prime Minister intended to say in the Commons the following day about the date for starting negotiations.