Pistol-pointing O’Dea was grossly insensitive and utterly wrong
He was looking down the sight of an automatic pistol and sporting a broad grin on his face in the picture (Irish Examiner, November 17).
To pose for the cameras in such a way within days of three violent gangland murders was not only foolish - it was grossly insensitive and utterly wrong.
It is worth noting that this is not the first occasion on which Mr O’Dea has gaffed at a time of serious gangland violence. In January 2003, the gangland activity in his own Limerick constituency was at its height following the kidnapping of Eddie and Kieran Ryan.
Incredibly, Mr O’Dea, then minister of state at the Department of Justice, instead of calling for the rival drug-dealing families to be brought to justice, offered to mediate between them in an attempt to end the feud.
He said at the time: “If they [the Ryan brothers] are returned safely, then we might be able to negotiate an end to this bloody feud ... and I am offering to act as mediator in that regard.”
Twice Mr O’Dea has held ministerial positions where he has had responsibility for protecting our communities from armed gang warfare, and twice he has shown a cavalier disregard for the integrity of these portfolios at times when these same communities were living in fear. He should apologise for last Wednesday’s crass display, or acknowledge that he has no appreciation of the crime problems facing Dublin and his own Limerick.
Barry Walsh
Brookfield Hall
Castletroy
Limerick
