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national | crime and justice | opinion/analysis

Sunday February 20, 2005 16:02

by Sean Crudden - impero

Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth

087 9739945

Who Is the Fairest of Them All?

Micheal ("Prince Charming") McDowell has admirers - as I know from canvassing on the doorsteps in Navan - but who is the greatest establishment politician of recent decades?

Sean Crudden

Although I am actively involved in politics since 1987 - mainly through membership of The Progressive Democrats political party - it is very seldom that anyone ever asks me about my opinion on political matters. So the other night between awake and asleep I asked myself the question "who was the most important minister of government since 1975?"

Of course we have had various prime ministers since that time including the great Charles Haughey as well as countless other powerful members of government such as Ray Burke once was (and I include them all in my reckoning).

However the conclusion I came to (and I came to it quite quickly) was that the greatest of all in that time was Mervyn Taylor. A quiet member of the Jewish fraternity who never rose above the ranks of junior minister he was responsible for setting up The Council for The Status of People with Disability which was in its hey-day around 1994. People in his constituency in Dublin will know far more about Mervyn Taylor than I do and if there are readers of indymedia who wish to refresh their minds about him I suggest that they do a "google" on him and save me the trouble.

Of course Micheál McDowell whom Martin McGuinness rightly termed today on The News at One "The Minister for Bypassing Justice" is now (to quote his full title) Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Although he is (at least in title) minister for equality he unashamedly a few months ago poured cold water and scorn on the whole concept of equality - obviously oblivious to the hurt this caused to the nascent hopes and prayers of disabled people for the recognition they are due.

The Peace Process was the big project of the last few decades but the jury, for me, is still out on who contributed what and when and what will be the final result - if there is ever a final result in my lifetime. Currently the same McDowell and his backer Dermot Ahern - like troublemakers at a football match which their side is losing - are trying to wreck Sinn Fein without a care in the world for the peace process which a few months ago was almost a holy grail.