Minister for Justice Michael McDowell apologised publicly on national radio yesterday morning to Richard Bruton of Fine Gael after he had likened him to the Nazi propaganda minister Dr Joseph Goebbels.
Mr McDowell made the remark on Monday at a press conference in reaction to a claim by Mr Bruton that Garda numbers had increased by just two in the Dublin metropolitan area during 2005. Mr Bruton had based his claim on figures released to him by Mr McDowell in reply to a parliamentary question.
"I do regret saying that, and I was playing the man and not the ball," Mr McDowell told RTÉ's Morning Ireland yesterday in relation to his Dr Goebbels remark. "And I do apologise unreservedly to Richard Bruton for calling him the Joseph Goebbels of propaganda. It was over the top, it was intemperate and I was being thin-skinned."
During Monday's press conference outside Buswell's Hotel in Dublin, Mr McDowell said of Mr Bruton: "He is, I believe, the Dr Goebbels of propaganda and the figures I am issuing here today prove conclusively that what he is saying is rubbish."
Mr McDowell then waved a piece of paper to journalists which he said showed that Garda numbers had increased in Dublin by 278 since he was in office, and that Mr Bruton had "suppressed" other figures which showed this.
"The facts are he has manipulated public opinion in a disgraceful way and I am going to call on him. Go into the Dáil, put down a motion. Square up to me man to man on this issue and I will win the debate hands down. I'm really angry with him and I think that it's about time that he got out of his ivory tower. He resembles a kind of post-graduate student floating around that house [ Dáil] over there."
He said Mr Bruton had used "selective figures to prove a falsehood . . . Deputy Bruton is knee-high to me in terms of anything that he ever managed to do for this country."
Mr McDowell yesterday morning said he made the outburst because he was annoyed at Mr Bruton.
"I was angry because during the period that I have been Minister for Justice the number of gardaí attached to the Dublin Metropolitan District have gone up by 270.
"I know and like Richard Bruton and I don't think he's the Goebbels of propaganda. He made a point which, if I had gotten the same statistic out of a PQ (parliamentary question) I'd be tempted to use it myself."
He said he had not been urged by any member of the Cabinet to make the apology.
"I am big enough to admit I have made a mistake . . . It's very much off my own bat. I had a slightly sleepless night."
In relation to his claim that Mr Bruton was "knee-high" to him in terms of achievements, he said that was now an issue for others to judge, based on their respective records.
Speaking later on Morning Ireland yesterday, Mr Bruton said he "absolutely" accepted Mr McDowell's apology.
"I think there is a salutary lesson though. In my view, it is that you can't shoot the messenger," he said.
"I respect Michael McDowell, he's a formidable politician . . . [ but] he can't always set up straw men which he then seeks to demolish in a political way. He has to focus on real issues as well."