Michael McDowell (Irish: Mícheál Mac Dubhghaill;^[1] born 29 May 1951) is a former Irish politician and a founding member of the Progressive Democrats political party. He served as Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South East constituency from 1987–1989, 1992–1997, and 2002–2007; was Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2002–2007; and led the Progressive Democrats from September 2006 until May 2007, during which time he held the post of Tánaiste. Immediately after the 2007 general election, in which his party lost six of its eight seats in Dáil Éireann, including his own, McDowell announced his resignation as party leader and his retirement from Irish public life. Image File history File links Michael_McDowell. ... The Tánaiste (IPA: ; plural Tánaistí ), or, more formally, An Tánaiste[1], is the deputy prime minister of the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Mary Harney (Irish: ; born 11 March 1953) is an Irish politician and the acting interim leader of the Progressive Democrats[1]. She is a TD for Dublin Mid West and served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, and as Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment from 1997–2004, and is the... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is the senior minister at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the Irish Government. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... John ODonoghue (Irish: ; born 28 May 1956 in Caherciveen, County Kerry) is a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician and is the current Ceann Comhairle (speaker) of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas and a Teachta Dála for Kerry South. ... For his father, see Brian Lenihan, Snr. ... The Progressive Democrats (Irish An Páirtí Daonlathach, lit. ... is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Mary Harney (Irish: ; born 11 March 1953) is an Irish politician and the acting interim leader of the Progressive Democrats[1]. She is a TD for Dublin Mid West and served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, and as Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment from 1997–2004, and is the... Mary Harney (Irish: ; born 11 March 1953) is an Irish politician and the acting interim leader of the Progressive Democrats[1]. She is a TD for Dublin Mid West and served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, and as Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment from 1997–2004, and is the... A Teachta Dála (Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced chock-ta dawla) is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Irish Oireachtas or National Parliament. ... Dublin South East is a parliamentary constituency in the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 329th day of the year (330th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 144th day of the year (145th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... The Progressive Democrats (Irish An Páirtí Daonlathach, lit. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Progressive Democrats (Irish An Páirtí Daonlathach, lit. ... A Teachta Dála (Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced chock-ta dawla) is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Irish Oireachtas or National Parliament. ... Dublin South East is a parliamentary constituency in the Republic of Ireland. ... The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is the senior minister at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the Irish Government. ... The Progressive Democrats (Irish An Páirtí Daonlathach, lit. ... The Tánaiste (IPA: ; plural Tánaistí ), or, more formally, An Tánaiste[1], is the deputy prime minister of the Republic of Ireland. ... The Irish general election of 2007 took place on 24 May 2007 after the dissolution of the 29th Dáil by the President on 29 April 2007, at the request of the Taoiseach. ... This article is about the current Irish body. ...

McDowell was also Attorney General of Ireland from 1999–2002 and president of the Progressive Democrats from 2002–2006. He is a grandson of Eoin MacNeill, who founded the Irish Volunteers. Prior to entering politics he was a Senior Counsel at the Irish bar and has returned to the law library since his retirement from public life. The Attorney General (Irish: An Ard-Aighne) is the official adviser to the Irish Government in matters of law. ... The Progressive Democrats (Irish An Páirtí Daonlathach, lit. ... Eoin MacNeill (May 15, 1867 - October 15, 1945) was an Irish scholar, nationalist and revolutionary. ... Irish Volunteers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The title of Senior Counsel (postnominal SC; 資深大律師 in Hong Kong Cantonese [1] [2]; 高级律师 in Singapore Mandarin [3] [4]) or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, especially in Commonwealth countries or jurisdictions in which the British monarch is no longer head of state, such...

Life before election to the Dáil

Born in Dublin, Ireland, he was educated at the Jesuit school Gonzaga College, then at University College Dublin and King's Inns in Dublin where he qualified as a barrister in 1974. McDowell was a junior counsel on the legal team that defended the murderer Malcolm MacArthur in the notorious GUBU case.^[2] He was appointed a Senior Counsel in 1987 when he was 35 years old. He became involved in politics, initially supporting Fine Gael. When Desmond O'Malley was expelled from Fianna Fáil in 1985 McDowell was one of the people who helped him establish the Progressive Democrats. He is the husband of UCD accountancy Professor Niamh Brennan and brother of UCD economics lecturer Moore McDowell. This article is about the city in Ireland. ... Gonzaga College S.J. is a private Catholic boys secondary school in Ranelagh, Dublin, Ireland, under the trusteeship of the Society of Jesus. ... University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin - more commonly University College Dublin (UCD) - is Irelands largest university, with over 20,000 students. ... The Kings Inns or formally the Honorable Society of Kings Inns (HSKI) is the institution which controls the entry of barristers-at-law into the justice system of the Republic of Ireland. ... // Artists impression of an English and Irish barrister A barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions which employ a split profession (as opposed to a fused profession) in relation to legal representation. ... GUBU is an acronym standing for grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented. ... The title of Senior Counsel (postnominal SC; 資深大律師 in Hong Kong Cantonese [1] [2]; 高级律师 in Singapore Mandarin [3] [4]) or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, especially in Commonwealth countries or jurisdictions in which the British monarch is no longer head of state, such... Fine Gael – The United Ireland Party, usually referred to as Fine Gael (IPA: , though often anglicised to ; approximate English translation: Family/Tribe of the Irish, is the second largest political party in the Republic of Ireland with a membership of over 34,000, and is the largest opposition party in... Desmond Joseph (Des) OMalley (Irish: ; born 2 February 1939), was a senior Fianna Fáil politician, the founder of the Progressive Democrats and the partys first leader (1985-1993). ... Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Irish: ), commonly referred to as Fianna Fáil (IPA ; traditionally translated by the party into English as Soldiers of Destiny, though the actual meaning is Soldiers [Fianna] of Ireland[1]), is currently the largest political party in Ireland with 55,000 members. ... University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin - more commonly University College Dublin (UCD) - is Irelands largest university, with over 20,000 students. ... Moore McDowell is an economics lecturer in University College Dublin and a frequent contributor to the Irish Independent newspaper. ...

Career in the Dáil and Attorney General

McDowell was one of 14 Progressive Democrat TDs elected to Dáil Éireann in the 1987 general election, the first election after the party was founded. He was elected for the constituency of Dublin South East .He lost his seat in the 1989 election but was made Chairman of the Party. McDowell regained his seat in the 1992 election but lost it again in the 1997 election. At various times, he served as a member of the Progressive Democrats front bench in roles as spokesman for Foreign Affairs, Northern Ireland and Finance. In July 1999 McDowell was appointed Attorney General of Ireland,^[3] a position he held until 2002. In 2000 he suggested changing the name of the party to the Radical Party but to no avail.^[4] This article is about the current Irish body. ... The Irish general election of 1987 was held on February 17, 1987, four weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on January 20. ... Dublin South East is a parliamentary constituency in the Republic of Ireland. ... The Irish general election of 1989 was held on Friday, June 15, 1989, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on May 25. ... The Irish general election of 1992 was held on Wednesday, November 25, 1992, almost three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on November 5. ... The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, June 6, 1997. ...

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Following the 2002 general election, McDowell regained his Dáil seat. He was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. He was a strong opponent of Sinn Féin and the IRA, and often took a harder line than his coalition partners, Fianna Fáil. The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday 17 May 2002, just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. ... For pre-Arthur Griffith use of the political name, see Sinn Féin (19th century). ... The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Irish: Óglaigh na hÉireann) (IRA; also referred to as the PIRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the Army or the RA.[2]) is an Irish Republican, left wing[3] paramilitary organisation that, until the Belfast Agreement, sought to end Northern...

Work as Minister

• In 2005, he announced plans to introduce anti-social behaviour orders, although not in the same form as those in the United Kingdom.^[5]
• McDowell's Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003^[6] prohibited cut-price drinks promotions and placed restrictions on alcohol advertising, as well as making it mandatory for under-21s to have proof of age when drinking in pubs.^[7] This law also banned under-18s from pubs after 9pm, a regulation that was highly unpopular and was later relaxed to 10pm during the summer months.^[8] In 2005, McDowell proposed to grant licences for café-bars which would have a limited capacity and serve meals as well as alcohol. It was hoped that this would combat binge drinking by introducing a more European "café culture". This initiative was dropped owing to objections from publicans and members of his coalition partners, Fianna Fáil.^[9]
• In 2004, he proposed a citizenship referendum to end the automatic right to Irish citizenship for all babies born on the island of Ireland. The referendum was passed with an 80% majority.^[10] The referendum was criticised by the Opposition, some of whom accused McDowell of encouraging racism.^[11]
• He reformed the private security industry, regulating it for the first time under the Private Security Services Act 2004 and establishing the Private Security Authority.^[12]
• He reformed the prison service, and made it more cost effective, by recruiting additional prison officers, and reducing exorbitant overtime pay.
• He launched far-reaching reforms of the Garda Síochána and introduced severe penalties (up to five years in jail) for Gardaí who leaked information under the Garda Síochána Act 2005,^[13] after the force was extensively criticised by the Morris and Barr Tribunals and he was embarrassed by high-profile leaks of his plans for the force to newspapers from high-level Gardaí. ^[14]
• McDowell's Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act, 2005 on telecommunications data retention compels service providers to store all telephone, SMS and internet records for three years and provide them to Gardaí on request. The Digital Rights Ireland campaign group has filed a suit against the government in the High Court claiming that this law is a breach of the constitutional right to privacy.^[15][16]
• McDowell's Defamation Bill of 2006 proposed a radical reform of Irish defamation law, replacing the torts of libel and slander with one single offence of "defamation" and allowing the press to plead "fair and reasonable publication" as a defence in defamation cases. ^[17] Related to the defamation reforms, McDowell also proposed a new privacy law which was heavily criticised by the newspaper industry.^[18][19]

Asbo redirects here. ... An amusingly named pub (the Old New Inn) at Bourton-on-the-Water, in the Cotswold Hills of South West England A pub in the Haymarket area of Edinburgh, Scotland A public house, usually known as a pub, is a drinking establishment found mainly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada... Drinking too much alcohol may qualify as binge drinking if it leads to at least two days of inebriation and the drinker neglects usual responsibilities The British Medical Association states that there is no consensus on the definition of binge drinking. ... The Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the Republic of Ireland, provided that children born on the island of Ireland to parents who were both non-nationals would no longer have a constitutional right to Irish citizenship. ... Irish nationality law is the law of the Republic of Ireland governing citizenship. ... Flag of An Garda Síochána Garda Síochána na hÉireann (pronounced ; Irish for Peace Guard of Ireland, often rendered[1] as The Guardians of the Peace of Ireland) is the police force of the Republic of Ireland. ... The Morris Tribunal addessed allegations of the 1990s and early 2000s against the An Garda Síochána, the Police agency of the Republic of Ireland. ... Justice Robert Barrs chairing of the Tribunal of Inquiry into the death of John Carthy endured many threats to its existence in its three-and-a-half years. ... In the field of telecommunications, data retention (or data preservation) generally refers to the storage call detail records (CDRs) of telephony and internet traffic and transaction data (IPDRs) by governments and commercial organisations. ... SMS may refer to: Short message service, a form of text messaging on cell phones Sega Master System – an 8-bit video game console from the 1980s Seiner Majestät Schiff, His Majestys Ship in the German Kaiserliche Marine and the Austro-Hungarian Navy SMS (comics), a British comic... Flag of An Garda Síochána Garda Síochána na hÉireann (pronounced ; Irish for Peace Guard of Ireland, often rendered[1] as The Guardians of the Peace of Ireland) is the police force of the Republic of Ireland. ... Digital Rights Ireland is an advocacy and lobbying group based in the Republic of Ireland which works for civil liberties in a digital age. ... The High Court (Irish: An Ard-Chúirt) of the Republic of Ireland is a court which deals at first instance with the most serious and important civil and criminal cases, and also acts as a court of appeal for civil cases in the Circuit Court. ... Not to be confused with torte, an iced cake. ... Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to control the flow of information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively. ...

Controversies as Minister

As Justice Minister, McDowell attracted a good deal of controversy:

• McDowell purchased a farm in North County Dublin, at Thorton Hall, on behalf of the state, in order to build a proposed prison. However this was expensive, and several state organizations already had land closer to the city which might have been used for the same purpose.
• He sped up the deportation of failed asylum seekers, including one case in 2005 where a student, Olunkunle Eluhanla, was deported back to Nigeria while preparing for his Leaving Certificate examinations. After a public outcry, McDowell arbitrarily allowed his return, but not that of others.^[20][21]
• In February 2005, he accused the Sinn Féin leaders Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and Martin Ferris of being members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army's Army Council.^[22] The allegations were denied

  Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and Martin Ferris have issued a joint statement in which they categorically deny that they are members of the IRA or its Army Council. Deportation is the expelling of someone from a country. ... Power lines leading to a trash dump hover just overhead in El Carpio, a Nicaraguan refugee camp in Costa Rica Under international law, a refugee is a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her... The Leaving Certificate (Irish: Ardteistiméireacht), commonly referred to as the Leaving Cert (Irish: Ardteist) is the final course in the Irish secondary school system and culminates with the Leaving Certificate Examination. ... Gerard Adams MP (Irish: [1]; born 6 October 1948) is an Irish Republican politician and abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. ... James Martin Pacelli McGuinness MP MLA (Irish: ;[1] born in Derry on 23 May 1950) is the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. ... Martin Ferris (born February 1952) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and a former Provisional IRA member (volunteer). ... The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Irish: Óglaigh na hÉireann) (IRA; also referred to as the PIRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the Army or the RA.[2]) is an Irish Republican, left wing[3] paramilitary organisation that, until the Belfast Agreement, sought to end Northern... The IRA Army Council is the decision-making body of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, more commonly known as the IRA, a paramilitary group dedicated to bringing about the end of the Union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. ...

  by Adams, McGuinness and Ferris.^[23]
• In 2004 McDowell called killings by gangs the “sting of a dying wasp”, intimating that gangland killings were coming to an end. However, there were a record number of gun killings in Ireland in 2006 (25 in total).^[24], including five murders in six days in December.^[25] McDowell has stated that "soft" judges are partly to blame for these killings for granting bail to gang suspects despite garda objections. These statements have caused anger in the legal profession. One unnamed legal professional described McDowell's statements as "outrageous" and "bordering on impeachable".^[26] In an unprecedented protest, dozens of senior judges boycotted a 2006 Christmas reception given by McDowell.^[27] He has been openly criticised by [1] retired judge Fergus Flood over McDowell's remarks about the failure of judges to implement the law on bail and mandatory sentences for drug dealing. Flood said the judiciary must have the right to consider each individual case as appropriate and that McDowell should consider the context of his remarks before making statements.
• In May 2005, when addressing the Oireachtas Justice Committee, he made a number of comments insinuating that most asylum seekers were not legally entitled to stay in Ireland and regretting his inability to deport them forthwith because of due process. ^[28]
• On 13 December 2005, using Dáil privilege,^[29] he claimed that Frank Connolly, a journalist with republican sympathies^{[citation needed]} and a brother of one of the 'Colombia Three', had travelled to Colombia under a false passport. McDowell subsequently leaked the alleged faked passport application to a friend, the journalist Sam Smyth of the Irish Independent. McDowell was widely accused of abusing his power as Minister for Justice for political purposes.^[30] Although Connolly denied McDowell's accusations, the controversy led to Irish-American private donor Chuck Feeney withdrawing funding from the Centre for Public Inquiry, an investigative organisation of which Frank Connolly was the director^[31], after McDowell met with him. The Centre had recently begun an investigation into McDowell's purchase of Thornton Hall
• On 20 March 2006, he apologised for remarks he made comparing the Opposition spokesperson on Justice, Richard Bruton TD, to Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels. He had made these remarks after Bruton had highlighted to the Dáil that despite McDowell's claims of increases in Garda personnel in 2005, only 6 extra Gardaí had been added to the Dublin police force in that year. McDowell maintained that Bruton specifically chose to compare dates that did not accurately reflect a general increase in Garda numbers. He apologised for the remarks on the "Morning Ireland" radio programme on RTÉ the next day.^[32]
• In March 2006 he falsely claimed that Green Party 'people' were responsible for vandalising PD headquarters. He later withdrew the comment, but then appeared to repeat it again.^[33]
• In May 2006 the Irish Supreme Court struck down the law on statutory rape as unconstitutional as it did not allow an individual accused to enter the defence of reasonable belief that the victim was of age. McDowell was widely criticised for failing to anticipate the decision. The Supreme Court's decision surprised observers.^[34]
• On 27 September 2006 he criticised the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern for accepting money from businessmen in 1993 and 1994, calling it unethical and an error of judgement and said that the money must be repaid with interest. The statement was greeted with derision by the Opposition, with Fine Gael claiming it was motivated by the PDs determination to keep Fianna Fáil in power. Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said the PDs were now handcuffed to Fianna Fáil for the duration of this Dáil, and that there might as well be single-party Government.^[35]
• On 6 March 2007, McDowell apologised to the Dáil for omissions from an Act^[36] that he had enacted in 2006 on the protection of children from sex abusers in the Second Stage debate on the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007 in the Dáil.

  The primary purpose of this short Bill is to remedy an error in the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006. The particular point with which we are dealing was brought to my attention last week by Deputy Rabbitte, for which I thank him. It was a drafting error for which I am politically accountable and regretful.^[37] is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the Irish nationalist belief that all of Ireland should be a single independent republic, whether as a unitary state, a federal state or as a confederal arrangement. ... The Colombia Three are three individuals – Niall Connolly, James Monaghan and Martin McCauley – who are currently residing in the Republic of Ireland, having fled from Colombia, where they have been sentenced to prison terms of seventeen years for training FARC rebels. ... The Irish Independent is Irelands best-selling daily newspaper. ... Irish Americans (Irish: Gael-Mheiriceánach) are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in the west European island of Ireland. ... Charles F. Feeney (born April 23, 1931 in Elizabeth, N.J.)[1], an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Richard Bruton (born 1 March 1953) is a Fine Gael politician in Ireland, and has been a Teachta Dála for Dublin North Central since 1982. ... Paul Joseph Goebbels (German pronunciation: IPA: ; English generally IPA: ) (October 29, 1897 – May 1, 1945) was a German politician and Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda during the National Socialist regime from 1933 to 1945. ... Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ; Irish for Radio and Television of Ireland) is the national publicly-funded broadcaster of Ireland. ... The Green Party/Comhaontas Glas was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981. ... The Supreme Court (Irish: Chúirt Uachtarach) is the highest judicial authority in the Republic of Ireland. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bartholomew Bertie Ahern (Irish: ;[1] born 12 September 1951) is an Irish politician who, since 26 June 1997, has served as the tenth Taoiseach of Ireland. ... Pat Rabbitte (born May 18, 1949) is a senior Irish politician, who has been the leader of the Labour Party since 2002. ... is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

• In May 2007 a convicted armed robber, John Daly, phoned Liveline on RTÉ Radio. Daly was talking to the programme on his mobile phone from his cell in the top security wing of the maximum security Portlaoise Prison. McDowell, later described the whole affair as "brazen and deliberate". [2]
• McDowell was heavily criticised ^[38] after prison officers seized at least eight smuggled mobile phones, three SIM cards, around 150 tablets, including ecstasy, a significant quantity of powdered drugs, a large amount of homemade alcohol, known as hooch, and 30 syringes along with two budgies after a search of Portlaoise maximum-security prison.

Liveline is an RTÉ radio interview and phone-in chat show. ... Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ; Irish for Radio and Television of Ireland) is the national publicly-funded broadcaster of Ireland. ...

Party Leadership

In June 2006 McDowell was involved in a leadership dispute with party leader Mary Harney, over an alleged promise by Harney to step down in favour of him. The dispute appeared to have been resolved with Harney remaining as leader.^[39] On 7 September 2006, Mary Harney unexpectedly resigned as party leader and McDowell became the favourite to succeed her in the consequent leadership election. Irish media reported on 10 September 2006 that Michael McDowell would be the sole nominee for party leadership, Liz O'Donnell would become Deputy Leader and that Tom Parlon would become Party President.^[40] On 11 September 2006 McDowell was confirmed as party leader^[41] and on 13 September 2006, he was appointed Tánaiste. Mary Harney (Irish: ; born 11 March 1953) is an Irish politician and the acting interim leader of the Progressive Democrats[1]. She is a TD for Dublin Mid West and served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, and as Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment from 1997–2004, and is the... is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Progressive Democrats leadership election, 2006 began on September 7, 2006 when Mary Harney resigned as leader of the Progressive Democrats. ... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Liz ODonnell (July 1956) is an Irish politician. ... Tom Parlon (Irish: [1]; born 19 August 1953) is an Irish Progressive Democrats politician and president of the party. ... is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Resignation as party leader and leaving politics

McDowell (right) announces his retirement.

McDowell failed to be re-elected to the Dáil following the 2007 general election. He is the first sitting Tánaiste to lose his seat, and his subsequent departure from politics makes him the "shortest-serving political-party leader in the history of the State".^[42] He stated that his time as a public representative was over.^[43] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixels Full resolution (3072 × 2304 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixels Full resolution (3072 × 2304 pixel, file size: 1. ... The Irish general election of 2007 took place on 24 May 2007 after the dissolution of the 29th Dáil by the President on 29 April 2007, at the request of the Taoiseach. ...

On May 25, 2007, McDowell resigned as leader of the Progressive Democrats and announced that he was quitting politics, immediately and without consultation with his party colleagues, after losing his seat in the Dublin South-East constituency in the general election, while the party fell from eight seats to two. is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Dublin South East is a parliamentary constituency in the Republic of Ireland. ...

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Micheál Martin, said he was sad to learn of his cabinet colleague's decision to resign. He said he will be a significant loss, calling him a very formidable parliamentarian.^[44]

The reaction of the press was divided:

That McDowell's career in government as Tánaiste is over is partly of his own making as he courted controversy to such a fevered extent that he became the most unpopular political leader in the country.^[45]

McDowell's reforms of the prison service, the Gardaí and immigration policy are a monument to his five years as Minister for Justice. ^[46]

Since leaving politics he has returned to work as a Senior Counsel and has featured in several leading cases.

Notes and references

is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... RTÉ News and Current Affairs is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 242nd day of the year (243rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... RTÉ News and Current Affairs is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... RTÉ News and Current Affairs is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... RTÉ News and Current Affairs is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been suggested that Irish Times Trust be merged into this article or section. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... RTÉ News and Current Affairs is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 70th day of the year (71st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 340th day of the year (341st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Sunday Independent is a broadsheet Sunday newspaper published in the Republic of Ireland by Independent News and Media plc. ... is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Irish Independent is Irelands best-selling daily newspaper. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Scotsmans offices in Edinburgh The Scotsman is a Scottish national newspaper, published in Edinburgh. ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... RTÉ News and Current Affairs is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper distributed in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International which is in turn owned by News Corporation. ... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper distributed in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International which is in turn owned by News Corporation. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... RTÉ News and Current Affairs is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... RTÉ News and Current Affairs is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... RTÉ News and Current Affairs is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 81st day of the year (82nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... RTÉ News and Current Affairs is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 153rd day of the year (154th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... RTÉ News and Current Affairs is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 66th day of the year (67th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... It has been suggested that Irish Times Trust be merged into this article or section. ... is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Radio Telefís Éireann[1] (RTÉ; IPA: ,  ) is the Public Service Broadcaster of the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Radio Telefís Éireann[1] (RTÉ; IPA: ,  ) is the Public Service Broadcaster of the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 146th day of the year (147th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... RTÉ News and Current Affairs is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 146th day of the year (147th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 148th day of the year (149th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Political career

External links

• Progressive Democrats' Website
• Oireachtas Database entry for McDowell
• Michael McDowell's electoral history (ElectionsIreland.org)

This page incorporates information from the Oireachtas Members Database