O’Dea under fire over gun photo shoot

DEFENCE MINISTER Willie O’Dea was yesterday embroiled in a war of words with opposition politicians after he was pictured holding a handgun.

The minister was roundly criticised after the publication of the photograph in the Irish Examiner, particularly following the recent gangland shootings that left three men dead.

Speaking in the Dáil, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said that for Mr O’Dea to agree to pose for the picture was “at minimum an ill judged, tasteless stunt by a Minister mad on publicity”.