Spring attacks Garrett’s publication of memoirs

September 1991

LABOUR leader Dick Spring this week attacked the publication of former Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald’s memoirs - saying they will change the conduct of Irish politics. In an interview with The Kerryman Mr.Spring, however, confirmed a confrontation did take place between himself and current Taoiseach Charles Haughey during the New Ireland Forum, during which Mr. Haughey broke down and cried. The details of this clash were published in an extract from Mr. FitzGerald’s memoirs published in The Sunday Tribune.

In it Garret FitzGerald tells how the then Tanaiste Dick Spring, arriving from a Dail debate, rounded on Mr. Haughey over media leaks from the New Ireland Forum. But speaking to The Kerryman Mr Spring rejects Garret FitzGerald’s contention that his attack was unwarranted. Deputy Spring this week defended the attack which immediately preceded Mr Haughey’s breaking down and crying. The matter had to be raised in the strongest terms. I thought that Hauehey would take it in the normal way of political banter and robustly defend himself and his party. “However, as opposed to defending himself he practically collapsed,” said Mr Spring.

In his memoirs “All In A Life” Dr FitzGerald goes on to say that at a lunch attended by the party leaders attending the form including himself, John Hume, Spring and Haughey, Mr Spring made his peace with Haughey.

Dr FitzGerald relates that after lunch he left the room to take a phone call and when he returned Haughey and Spring were in deep conversation in a corner of the room and they asked him to leave. Dick Spring told me (FitzGerald) subsequently that Haughey had explained to him how upset his family had been, and he on their account, by the book (The Boss) published the previous day,” relates Dr FitzGerald.

But this week Mr Spring said that he told Dr FitzGerald very little of the long conversation he had with Mr Haughey on that day. Mr Spring said he presumed Dr Fitzgerald used the incident to add “a bit of juice”to his book.

“I might write the full account sometime. Maybe in 30 or 40 years time. Garret FitzGerald knows very little of what was said in that conversation with Charlie Haughey. What he used in his book was all that he was told,” said Mr Spring.

Asked to comment on the propriety of revealing the details of the happenings at the Forum and other meetings Mr Spring said that it now raises some very serious questions for future administrations.

“I have strong reservations about the whole thing especially when you consider that 95 per cent of the people are still involved at the highest level in politics,” he said.

“As a result of this the overall conduct of politics have changed.

“If one were to enter a new cabinet in the morning and you were aware that someone was recording everything that was being said it would make the business of Government impossible,” said Mr Spring.