Opposition dismissive of McDowell’s allegations

The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, has told the Dáil that the visit of the so called Colombia three to South America was to acquire tens of millions of euro.

He was reacting to questions about the threat that former journalist Frank Connolly and the Centre for Public Inquiry posed to the state after Mr connolly allegedly travelled to Colombia in 2001 using a false passport.

Mr McDowell told the Dáil that money obtained from Colombia would have but one objective, namely to subvert the state.

The opposition has rejected these statements in an angry Dáil debate.

Sinn Féin's Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin dismissed the comments and said the minister fails to realise that there is a credible peace process in place on the island of Ireland.