McGimpsey hits back at Ahern over All-Ireland Football Team Comments
Former Sports Minister Michael McGimpsey has voiced disappointment over Dermot Ahern’s calls for an all-Ireland football team - and added that it was painfully clear the Irish Foreign Minister had been “cynically using sport to electioneer ahead of the Dail elections”.
In a statement, the UUP South Belfast MLA said: “Mr Ahern should not be using sport to electioneer. In pandering to the lowest common denominator, Mr Ahern has stooped to a level which one would expect a foreign minister to be above.
“Mr Ahern needs to take a reality check and be more circumspect in future. There is no possibility of a United Ireland team and no popular demand - and Mr Ahern knows it. It’s painfully clear that he’s putting in some early electioneering ahead of a tight Dail election.
“People here are very proud of the Northern Ireland football team and will continue to be. We expect better of Mr Ahern than this.”