‘Smoke and mirrors minister’ the star of Sinn Féin’s show
No, the real ‘star’ of the show appeared to be Michael McDowell.
Branded as “the Ayatollah of Ballsbridge” and likened to none other than Margaret Thatcher, the Justice Minister’s status as the bête noire of the republican movement was solidified by constant references to his politics, policies and personality.
Indeed the minister will arguably be flattered he seemed to be mentioned more often by speakers, from ordinary grassroots members to party leaders, than anybody else - Adams, McGuinness and Sands included. Appropriately, the conference took place in the RDS in the affluent heart of the minister’s Dublin south-east constituency and just a few miles away from his home in Ranelagh.
Sinn Féin’s representative in that area, Councillor Daithi Doolan, launched the most strident attack on his local rival, dedicating an entire speech on the topic.
Accusing Mr McDowell of making “headline seeking attacks”, he called on him to end his “anti-republican rantings” and to concentrate on his job.
“He has become the minister for smoke and mirrors, all slogans and no substance. He continues to throw out wild, unsubstantiated allegations about foreign nationals, fails miserably to tackle the rise in crime, oversees an unreformed and disgraced garda force,” he said.
Sinn Féin TD and justice spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh said the minister had led the attacks on republicans.
“The minister for injustice claims his is waging war on crime but, in reality, he has done nothing to bring security to the daily lives of working class people in this state,” he said.
Fellow TD and Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghin Ó Caolain said he got a letter saying it was sad to see a once-proud party like FF being led around by Mr McDowell like a poodle.
Referring to a picture in the Irish Examiner last week of Mr McDowell in his college days in 1970, he said the minister was the same 35 years later.
“He looks every bit the arrogant undergraduate, hypnotised by his own rhetoric.”
Joining in, Sorcha Nic Cormaic from Dublin said Bertie Ahern and his Government was being led by the nose by the “anti-republican PD element” within the coalition.
Drawing the parallel with the former prime hate figure of republicans in one of three references to Mr McDowell, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said that 25 years ago Margaret Thatcher could not criminalise republicans.
“That was then; this is now. Michael McDowell has stepped into Margaret Thatcher’s shoes. But he will not criminalise us either, because we will not allow him,” he said.
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