Two members of Limerick City Council last night abstained from a vote on a motion which called on the Government to deny early release to the killers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe.
The mayor of Limerick, Cllr Michael Hourigan, called the special meeting amid overwhelming opposition in the city to the contentious proposal that the slain garda's killers could be released under the Belfast Agreement.
Fifteen members of the 17-strong council backed the motion which called on the Taoiseach "to honour previous assurances given to the family of the late Detective Garda Jerry McCabe".
Two independent councillors, Cllr Gerry McLoughlin and Cllr John Gilligan, abstained from the vote. Cllr Gilligan said he had serious reservations about the way the meeting had been called and he said it appeared to have been a "solo-effort" by Fine Gael members to turn the matter into a political football.
"For anyone to exploit this matter for their own political purposes is very disingenuous."
Former Irish rugby international, Cllr Gerry McLoughlin, who pointed out that he was a close friend of Jerry McCabe's colleague, Det Garda Ben O'Sullivan, said his decision not to support the motion had been difficult.
"I absolutely abhor the killing of Jerry McCabe, but we haven't been privy to the negotiations that the Government are involved in relating to the peace process, and I think that peace in Ireland is paramount. It doesn't give me any great pleasure not to support the motion, but this has become a political football and I don't think it should have gone to a vote," said Cllr McLoughlin.