The only mortal sin in FF is leaving Bertie alone with a smoking gun

IF the Brian Curtin fiasco had happened while Nora Owen was minister for justice, how do you think Fianna Fáil in opposition would have reacted? You know full well. They would have been baying for her blood.

In the two years she was minister for justice, Fianna Fáil made a target out of her, week after week. And they succeeded in creating the entirely unfair and untrue perception that the country had reason to be terrified about crime.

The present Minister for Justice conveys the constant impression of a man above criticism. If anyone says a cross word to him, he comes over all precious and pompous. Look at his reaction on radio to the hassling he got during the Dáil debate on his entirely opportunistic referendum on citizenship. "They were heckling a minister of the government," he said plaintively to Pat Kenny. This is the man who, in opposition himself, was prepared to use any tactic or attack, no matter how personal, to score points.