The unseemly political squabble between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael over the "leaking" of a memorandum from the Department of Foreign Affairs has become a focal point in the election process for the presidency. It has reawakened a residual civil war bitterness between the main parties that could undermine Mrs Mary Robinson's heritage of an inclusive presidency. And it has done nothing to build confidence in our adversarial political system. The "leaking" exercise was clearly designed to damage Prof Mary McAleese's election prospects by concentrating public attention on her Northern background; presenting her as being sympathetic to Sinn Fein and questioning her ability to reach out to the unionist community if she is elected President. In her defence, Ms McAleese has spoken of her support for the SDLP; her condemnation of paramilitary violence and of the many friendships she enjoys with members of the unionist community. In spite of those protestations, Ms McAleese was probably damaged by the "leak" and by the subsequent intemperate - not to say outrageous - attempt by Mr Derek Nally, another presidential candidate, to link her perceived sympathy for Sinn Fein with the murder of members of the Garda by the Provisional IRA. Fair-minded people would reject such tactics and tend towards support for the beleaguered candidate.
The document in question was an internal memorandum from one official to another within the Department of Foreign Affairs and was based on a conversation with Ms McAleese. It was part of an exercise undertaken on an ongoing basis by diplomats whose task it is to inform policy-makers in Dublin. Reports that a second memorandum, also purporting to link Ms McAleese with Sinn Fein, has since been made available to a Sunday newspaper, is worrying the Government parties. And that concern was amplified by last Thursday's public endorsement of Ms McAleese by the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, as his preferred candidate.
Mr Adams's intervention in the election campaign allowed the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, an opportunity to exploit the Northern aspect and to pursue the question of a Sinn Fein linkage. It was a calculated, political gamble. On the previous day, an Irish Times/MRBI opinion poll showed Ms Mary Banotti to be trailing Ms McAleese by 9 points in first preference votes. It also indicated that one-in-five Fine Gael supporters proposed to vote for Ms McAleese. In those circumstances, if the Fine Gael candidate was to win, party supporters had to be frightened back into the fold. Fianna Fail viewed it as part of an ongoing smear campaign. The Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, accused Mr Bruton of engaging in dirty tricks and of "leaking" the controversial Foreign Affairs memorandum, a charge he later withdrew. And, yesterday, Fianna Fail Ministers complained of the existence of a byzantine conspiracy linking John Bruton, Eoghan Harris and Derek Nally. It was the stuff of fevered imaginations.
Last night, when the candidates debated the issues on the Late Late Show, they did so in a restrained and civilised fashion. The viciousness of party politics was missing, and Mr Nally went so far as to admit that he had been duped by advisers who had worked to an alternative agenda. All the candidates emerged as decent, honourable people.