The outgoing chairman of Louth County Council has criticised the media for being self important and advised lawyer Mr Colm MacEochaidh to take a critical look at his own profession before launching a new political party.
Fianna Fail councillor Mr Peter Savage completed his term as chairman yesterday and in his final address said this was not a particularly good time to be a politician.
"The punishment for the sins of the few is being dished to the entire family by a media, who find it hard to discriminate between the good and the bad, but wallow in their own feeling of self importance perched on their self righteous roosts in Dublin."
Mr Savage said the power of the media was probably the most important and influential force at work in modern society. People believed what they read or heard and it is, "all the more important that the message being spread is truthful, accurate and balanced, and that those holding this responsibility are truthful, accurate and balanced".
On Mr MacEochaidh's plans to launch a new political party, Mr Savage suggested that he, "first take a critical look at his own profession and do something about the practices which exist at the bar, the charges which the profession foist on the public and the millions that are being drained from the taxpayer through the tribunals".
"The public can change politicians or parties, but it would take Jesus Christ to change the bar," he added.
Mr Savage said he would also like to see Mr MacEochaidh canvas a rural voter, "complete with silly little wig and gown and accompanied by a second person similarity attired, because you know barristers are like magpies, they generally travel in pairs".
In his 26 years on Louth County Council Mr Savage said he could only recall one approach which smacked of a bribe, "and it was after the event rather than before and it was a very modest sum compared to even the lowest suggested as having been given in Dublin. I suppose it was a `thank you' rather than a bribe".
He concluded by saying his wish for the millennium was that all politicians would listen for longer than they talked. Mr Nicky McCabe was elected as chairman for the coming year.