Minister’s admission sparks uproar

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell was last night accused of “dangerous and dictatorial” behaviour over the way he released documents relating to Frank Connolly to a national newspaper.

Mr McDowell’s admission that he passed on sensitive information relating to the controversial former journalist sparked uproar from the opposition. Labour justice spokesman Joe Costello insisted the matter raised grave doubts about Mr McDowell’s judgment.

“The Justice Minister is acting like judge, jury and executioner.

“What the minister has done is unprecedented and extremely dangerous.

“He is certainly acting in a dictatorial fashion. He brought in lengthy prison terms for gardaí who passed on information to journalists. Now he’s passing on confidential information in a selective manner.

“We warned at the time he awarded himself powers allowing him to demand any document relating to any ongoing garda inquiry that it was going too far. Where will it end? Which individual will he release information about next.”

The storm erupted in the wake of Mr McDowell’s revelations he had passed information relating to what the minister referred to as a bogus passport application by Mr Connolly.

Fine Gael also insisted Mr McDowell was to explain his actions to the Dáil.

“This is gone beyond Frank Connolly, the issue now is the judgment of the Minister for Justice, his behaviour suggests that the minister regards garda files as part of his political armoury,” said FG justice spokesman Jim O’Keeffe. “Minister McDowell’s actions may also have prejudiced any possible charges that might be brought by the DPP in the future. His actions suggest an arrogant and hypocritical approach to his office,”

Sinn Féin went further, demanding Mr McDowell’s resignation.

“Mr McDowell said that the document that he leaked to the media was not a confidential document. However, all passport applications are confidential. If one is ‘bogus and fraudulent’, as the minister puts it, it does not mean that it is no longer confidential. By passing this confidential document onto the media he has turned the justice system on its head,” said SF Justice spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh.

Green Party Justice spokesman Ciaran Cuffe said the minister had abused his position.