WITH Sinn Fein firmly outside the now prorogued Stormont talks, and contact with Irish Government officials restricted to discussion of an IRA ceasefire, the party's newspaper An Phoblacht is still no nearer its goal - a seat, not in the Dail or the Northern forum, but for a reporter on the Oireachtas Press gallery. The gallery's recent a.g.m. firmly voted down the paper's request, despite its pleading that it was a genuine publication with a certifiable circulation, north and south.

An Phoblacht was previously rejected on the grounds that it was a party organ rather than a newspaper and thus not entitled to Oireachtas facilities. Supporters instanced that the Irish Press in it early days was Just such an organ. Opponents countered that An Phoblacht had no tradition of covering Oireachtas proceedings. An Phoblacht replied that without a pass it couldn't get into Leinster House.

An Phoblacht has consulted its solicitors and now the row may end up in court. Should that happen, the opposition will argue that the Oireachtas has the constitutional right to arrange its own affairs. But then does that right extend to the Oireachtas press gallery? Who knows? In any event there is speculation that the Ceann Comhairle, Sean Treacy, may intervene to break the deadlock. The gallery operates under his patronage and he is unlikely to relish the whole matter being dragged to the courts.