The first chairman of the Progressive Democrats in the Limerick area, Cllr Dick Sadlier, reiterated yesterday that he was resigning from the party, citing the "unbridled arrogance" of the former leader, Mr Des O'Malley, over the manner in which his call for a debate to examine the possibility with a merger with Fianna Fail was treated.
He said that Mr O'Malley's immediate public rebuke was unacceptable to him.
Mr O'Malley, on the other hand, said he was bewildered at Mr Sadlier's decision. He said at a meeting arranged a month ago between the party leader, Ms Mary Harney, himself, councillors and officers, which was held last Monday, Mr Sadlier did not attend.
"Instead of waiting to discuss the matters that concerned him in this matter, he went public on the Thursday of last week in the Limerick Leader. This was a matter that could be debated within the party in the normal way had he chosen to do so."
Mr Sadlier said he regretted taking the decision and wished the PDs all the best in the future.
Mr Sadlier (47), an accountant and a lecturer in business studies at the Limerick Institute of Technology, was formerly general manager of the old Limerick Weekly Echo, of which he was the joint owner. He is a member of an old Limerick family and was elected mayor in 1994-95. Mr Kieran O'Hanlon, another member of the PDs on the City Council, said earlier that he considered that Mr Sadlier "had every right to call for a debate on whether they should merge with another party". If such a debate was agreed, Mr O'Hanlon said that the party could look also at Fine Gael if there was a question of merging.
He expressed disappointment with the lack of contact between the Progressive Democratic headquarters and local councillors. Mr O'Hanlon was Mayor of Limerick in 1996-97. During the past six years three members of the party were mayors of the city; the first in 1992-93 was Councillor John Quinn, who had been a law clerk in Mr O'Malley's practice in Limerick.