FF resignation over use of Shannon

A Fianna Fáil town commissioner has resigned from the party over continued US military use of Shannon Airport.

Patrick Danagher, Vice Chairperson of Ballyshannon Town Council, had the party whip removed from him last March after he was convicted for possession of cannabis.

But he has said that was not the reason for his resignation.

Mr Danagher said his cannabis conviction was a personal matter, not a political one.

'The use of Shannon is the straw that broke the camel's back regarding my membership of Fianna Fáil', he said.

'We've seen the removal of the first time buyers' grants, the back to education allowance has been cut and now we have our Government's stance on the war, about which I'm outraged.

'Fianna Fáil has broken a lot of promises since the last election,' he said, 'and we have to show the Government we're not prepared to tolerate this.'

He said, 'It's a complete disgrace that this Government is sitting on the fence on the war issue.

'This is an Anglo-American invasion of Iraq. It's not that I'm pro Saddam Hussein but war will only inflict more misery on the people of Iraq.'

Anti-war protest in Derry

Anti-war protestors demonstrated this morning as Britain's Princess Royal opened a new Learning Resource Centre at the University of Ulster in Derry.

Just over a dozen people, waving banners and blowing whistles, gathered outside the gates of the Magee campus at Northland Road.

One banner objecting to the war was removed from inside the site.

Police said there was no trouble and no arrests were made.

Princess Anne, on the second day of a visit to the North, later met members of senior management at Magilligan Prison in County Derry.