Cowen plays down SDLP/Fianna Fail merger speculation

The Taoiseach and the Leader of Fianna Fail, Brian Cowen, has moved to dampen speculation about a possible merger between his party and the SDLP in Northern Ireland. Could it be that the SDLP and FF are beginning to realise that while the leadership of the SDLP is overwhelmingly FF inclined, their electoral support would be heavily spilt across Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Irish Labour movement? Indeed, given that less than half of SDLP supporters have told opinion polls repeatedly that they support a united Ireland, it is possible that any move to join with parties in the south might drive some of their supporters into the hands of the Alliance party.