A call by trade union leader Mick O'Reilly for Labour to open an alliance with Sinn Féin in light of last week's IRA statement was swiftly dismissed yesterday by the Labour Party.
Mr O'Reilly, an outspoken critic of Labour's decision to discuss a pre-election pact with Fine Gael, said co-operation between the left and Sinn Féin would be a "sensible development".
"On issues of economic development, redistribution of wealth and public service investment, there is considerable agreement - more so than with the right-wing parties," he said.
The ATGWU leader said that while "IRA deeds must match their words", it was clear that the Sinn Féin leadership was determined to commit the republican movement to "fully peaceful and democratic means".
This made co-operation between left-wing parties and Sinn Féin a "viable and welcomed possibility". The basis of a future alliance was already in place, he added.
"The Labour Party, Sinn Féin and other progressive parties and independents make up the second largest bloc in the Dáil.
"Labour and Sinn Féin hold an effective majority of seats on the largest local authority - Dublin City. Co-operation could see these groupings become a major electoral force at both national and local level."
However, a Labour Party spokesman flatly rejected the proposal yesterday and said there was no chance of an alliance with Sinn Féin in the foreseeable future.
Mr O'Reilly, he said, was "very good at lecturing the Labour Party", but was not a member of the party.
While the IRA's statement of last week was very welcome, it would have to demonstrate its bona fides and that would take time, he added.
He said that while there was common ground between the parties on some issues, they disagreed fundamentally on others, such as the European Union.
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte has poured scorn in the past on Mr O'Reilly's criticisms of the party's electoral strategy. He described the ATGWU leader in March as a "hurler on the ditch" whose "nonsense" views "deserve to be ignored".
