Ahern defends McDowell's Colombia claims

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell acted properly at all times in relation to his allegations that journalist Frank Connolly travelled to Colombia on a false passport in 2001, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today.

The Leaders’ Questions slot in the Dáil was dominated by the controversy in advance of a scheduled statement by Mr McDowell to the house this evening.

Mr Ahern came under pressure today from opposition party leaders to explain the subversive threat to the state which the minister had claimed as justification for his allegations against Mr Connolly.

The Taoiseach claimed that a false passport application allegedly made by Mr Connolly, which Mr McDowell supplied to a daily newspaper, was not a confidential document.

The subject matter was already in the public domain, he added.

“The minister has acted at all times properly … and I fully support him,” Mr Ahern said.

The Taoiseach reminded TDs that the re-emergence of the Colombia Three in August had been a major national issue.

While probing Mr Ahern on Mr McDowell’s claims of a subversive threat to the state, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said Mr Connolly showed a marked reluctance to deal fully with questions on the issue.

“It’s high time he came clean on this matter,” Mr Kenny said.

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte claimed that the Centre for Public Inquiry, which had its US funding pulled after the allegations, was investigating the Thornton Hall site for a super prison in north Co Dublin as it next project.

Mr McDowell has direct responsibility for the project and the criteria used to select the site has been criticised by local residents who plan to block the project.

Mr Rabbitte added: “Frank Connolly’s answers to legitimate questions would not have satisfied Frank Connolly the journalist, if he were asking the questions.”

The Taoiseach said Mr McDowell had shown himself to be fearless in his opposition to all forms of criminality within the state.

The minister would be speaking on behalf of the Government when he makes his statement and takes questions from opposition TDs, Mr Ahern said.

Mr McDowell is also expected to circulate all documentation relating to the issue, including the false passport application form.