Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has said that remarks he made at a private Progressive Democrats' meeting criticising elements in Fianna Fáil had been "quoted out of context" in yesterday's Sunday Independent.
During the meeting last month he was reported as having described FF elements as "cowardly", "ruthless", "underhand", "resurgent" and "dangerous".
A spokesman for Mr McDowell said any suggestion these comments were an attack on Fianna Fáil was "a gross distortion".
He said Mr McDowell's comments related solely to a small group of Fianna Fáil members, who in late 2002 had tried to destroy the career of then minister for transport Séamus Brennan in relation to the so-called "cigars and brandy" affair.
