Legal eagle flies high (Part 2)

Having begun school locally with the nuns, he then went to the Christian Brothers. From there he moved to the Dominicans in Newbridge College, where "the approach was different, more relaxed". Less violent? "I wouldn't express it in that way; it was less intense. I liked Newbridge College a lot. I think the onus there was on the student, rather than the teacher - as it was at the Christian Brothers."

Among his masters at Newbridge was Father Flanagan, his English teacher. "He was very gifted: a sculptor, painter, musician; he played the organ - he certainly was a modern Renaissance Man." At Newbridge Byrne also was involved in choirs, and he performed in a school production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial By Jury playing the Defendant, a cad charged with breach of promise. Playing an anti-heroic character did not bother him; about 30 years later, he performed it again, this time in a barrister and solicitor co-production staged, fittingly, at Dublin's Green Street Courthouse in 1992.

From Newbridge, Byrne went to University College Dublin where he took an arts degree, studying English, economics, ethics and politics, while also pursuing a BL at the King's Inns. His plan was to gain a good general education as well as a professional qualification. "I had always wanted to be a lawyer, but I enjoyed the arts subjects. But I must have taken law seriously; I got an honours law degree but had opted for a pass arts one."

Although as a student he was not sufficiently interested in history to study it as a subject, he has since become fascinated with Irish and British history in the period spanning 1680-1730. The dates also span much of the life of Jonathan Swift. While wary of offering him as a personal hero, Byrne has a huge regard for the Dean, whom he agrees was a victim of bad political timing.

"There are so many interesting aspects to him, the prose is of greater value than the poetry, but he wrote a lot of verse. It's not just the satire; he had a great eye and understood politics. I think everyone with an interest in politics, or indeed public life, should read Gulliver's Travels."

During Byrne's years at university, student politics were gathering momentum but he admits they largely passed him by. Singing continued to be important. He was a member of the UCD choir and the UCD Law Society and became involved in debating, winning the Gold Medal for Oratory.

While he had no political ambition, he had an awareness. This is evident in his campaigning to establish FLAC before he was called to the Bar in 1970. As a barrister he describes himself as "a courtroom lawyer" and is neither a performer nor a technocract. Despite that gold medal, there is no rhetoric, no fancy stuff.

Between 1974 and 1987, he was elected to the Bar Council which governs the profession. While he smiles at the use of the word "theatrical" when applied to his profession and accepts "some lawyers are attracted, or attached to the stage elements", he also believes that during the past 15 years or so, people in general have come to expect greater speed and economy in the "imparting of information" and that now there is a greater emphasis on information.

Politics really entered his life when, in 1972, he campaigned for a Yes vote in the referendum to amend the Constitution to enable Irish entry into the European Community. About that time he became a voluntary legal adviser to Fianna Fail. He has no problem with being described as a good backroom boy, and dates his more recent active involvement from the time of Brian Lenihan's bid for the presidency in 1990. It was then, he says, he first got to know Bertie Ahern for whom he has a huge regard and personally likes as well as admires. "He's very intelligent, quick and has a gift for processing huge amounts of information at speed. He's a great leader." Will he survive, though? "Yes, I've no doubt of that."

Still, any member of Fianna Fail must be embarrassed by the ongoing revelations. Byrne admits he is as shocked as anyone by the current findings - "I'm saddened and dismayed" - but is quick to point out it involved only a small number of individuals, primarily the former leader, Charles Haughey. However, he says he thinks history will be kinder to Haughey. "At the moment his wrongs are being examined. In time people will remember the good things he did as well . . . He was impatient for change; that has to be a good thing. He put through some very important legislation."

Fianna Fail "does mean a lot" to Byrne. "I still believe it is an effective party, determined to make decisions and achieve results. At least a generation of schoolchildren would not have received as good, or as lengthy an education without O'Malley's scheme." Will Fianna Fail survive? "Of course it will. Every party goes through difficult times . . . " In 1997 Byrne was asked to be Attorney General, a post which meant "everything" to him. "It's the best job a lawyer could have." So then why did he give it up after only two years to go to Europe?

"The difference between being Attorney General and being commissioner, is that as AG you are sitting in Cabinet as an adviser, and as the constitutional law officer of the State, the job is essentially advisory rather than policy-making. As commissioner you are actively shaping and making policy; that's the challenge that attracted me.

"For this particular portfolio, which is a broad one, ranging for instance from responsibility for animal feed to, say, e-commerce, my training and experience as a barrister are valuable to me. And also the portfolio is law-driven and geared to the needs of the consumer."

Being in Europe also means a change in perspective. Does he now see himself as a European or as an Irishman? "As a European, but that does not mean I am not aware of the fact I am from Ireland. The emphasis has to be different; the commission is about Europe, and for me that means also seeing what role Ireland has in that Europe."

When the five years are up, he knows exactly what he will do. "I'll be back at the Bar. I love being a lawyer; I like the lifestyle, the atmosphere, the independence, and pleading cases in court on behalf of clients. The law itself doesn't thrill me. I see it as a set of rules to resolve disputes in a community." Neither Peter Sutherland nor Mary Robinson returned to the Bar. "But I will," he says.