McDowell apologises to Bruton over Nazi remark

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has apologised unreservedly to Fine Gael finance spokesman Richard Bruton for comparing him to  Nazi propagandist Dr Joseph Goebbels.

Mr Bruton has accepted the apology.

During an angry outburst over claims on Garda numbers, the minister accused Mr Bruton of a "con job" after he published a reply to a parliamentary question which showed that the number of gardaí on the streets of Dublin was just two higher last December 31st than it had been on the same date the year before.

The number of gardaí had "hugely increased" since he took office, he insisted, adding that Mr Bruton's use of figures was "hypocritical, misleading and a sham, con-job".

Mr McDowell accused Mr Bruton of having "manipulated public opinion in a disgraceful way" and compared him to Nazi propagandist Dr Joseph Goebbels.

However, speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland today, Mr McDowell said he regretted this remark and had suffered "a slightly sleepless night" as a result of making it.

"I am big enough to admit that I made a mistake here. I admit I did play the man and not the ball and and I don't think it was fair of me," Mr McDowell said. "I apologise unreservedly to Mr Bruton.

"It was over-the-top and unacceptable to use the particular analogy that I did," he continued. "I know and like Richard Bruton. I don't think he is a Joseph Goebbels-type figure."

Mr McDowell insisted the episode did not raise questions about his fitness for office. "The fact is, it was an intemperate remark, but my fitness for office is decided by my performance."

Mr Bruton later said he "absolutely" accepted the apology. "The minister must have had a bad day," he said. "As far as I'm concerned ... that's the end of the matter."

However, he stood by his claims on Garda numbers, insisting there were serious issues of Garda resourcing behind the row that needed to be addressed.

"I still believe that the central issue that I raised is an important one and that is that, not only are there issues around the resourcing of the gardai, but we have problems in relation to falling detection rates and that demands a serious debate and a serious response," Mr Bruton said.

"You know when we have 85 per cent of burglaries not detected, 45 per cent of serious assaults not detected we do have a problem, and I think everyone on the streets knows we've a problem."

Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte welcomed the apology, saying Mr McDowell's remarks were "completely over the top". More importantly, he said, they "diverted attention from the serious issues being raised".

Opposition leaders are expected to raise the issue of Garda numbers with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern during Leaders' Questions in the Dáil later today.