McDowell’s ‘judgment error’ statement a cop-out
Statement by Green Party Chairman, John Gormley TD
The statement by the Tánaiste and PD leader about the Taoiseach’s acceptance of donations from business people is a serious cop-out. The gentle admonishment – that this was an “honest error of judgment” – is an insult to the many people who voted for the PDs because they would keep an eye on Fianna Fail.
His phrase “single party government – no thanks” must now be coming back to haunt Michael McDowell. Clearly, he has decided to put political ambition ahead of principle by continuing in Government.
One can only imagine what McDowell’s rabid reaction might have been like had he been in opposition. Today Bertie Ahern said that he had never put his private interests ahead of the pubic good. Fianna Fáil and the PDs have always put vested interests ahead of the public good.
The new neo-conservative PDs will continue to do this under the leadership of Michael McDowell.