McDowell a ‘brass neck’ over gardaí scandal

JUSTICE MINISTER Michael McDowell was yesterday accused of having an “appalling brass neck” after he turned on opposition politicians, claiming the McBrearty scandal happened on their watch.

Labour Deputy Brendan Howlin, one of the first to air the scandal in the Dail, reacted with disbelief to the Minister’s linking the scandal to the Rainbow Coalition being in power when Richie Barron died in October 1996.

“That shows an appalling brass neck. In terms of the whole McBrearty issue, it did not emerge in full until 1999. The truth and full knowledge of it was available then to the Minister for Justice and to the then Attorney General, Michael McDowell.”