Kinlen criticism - McDowell’s retort shows a fragile ego

What an extraordinary attack Justice Minister Michael McDowell launched at the Inspector of Prisons, retired High Court judge Dermot Kinlen, in a radio interview at the weekend.

Despite the fact that the minister said he himself had broad shoulders and could take criticism, it is glaringly obvious that he has not. He has reacted in a most bombastic fashion to criticism by the Inspector of Prisons in his fourth annual report that the minister and his department had “a frightening and fascist” attitude to penal system reform.

In a childish retaliation he has referred, over the airwaves, to an alleged private conversation he had with the retired judge in relation to the latter’s pension.