I don't think this has been in the British media - but as a lesson in where the British trade union movement is at it's instructive. The T&G had 55,000 members on the island of ireland last June and one of the most outspoken union leaders at it's helm. He opposed the (defeated) Nice treaty, opposed the social partnership agreements which the congress supported and saw workers under 'wage restraint' all during the irish economic boom and then supported train drivers that no other union would represent.

the Irish establishment seems to have complained to Bill Morris -who rather than trying to control or discipline O'Reilly suspended him and a Belfast official for nine months under a gagging order before finally sacking the two. He was exactly the type of union leader that neither Blair or Morris want involved.