Michael McDowell - The Academic Hypocrite

No one doubts the inebriating intellectuality of McDowell. However, he is too intelligent for grass root politics. The strength of his academic prowess is more than negated by his uncommon touch.

Like Martin Mansergh (FF) his position in the PD's should be in the engine room of the party. He is an academic politician and his passion to serve the public would be better utilised in the background than officiating at the coal face. As an aside, at least Mansergh stays out of the limelight knowing that he is uncomfortable in it, however, he is still on the ticket for the GOP in the May 2007 election’s - a mistake. FF are more likely to carry two seats in South Tipperary through the ubiquitous Mattie "The Mauler" McGrath and Siobhán Ambrose than the Mansergh and Ambrose combination.

McDowell is uncomfortable among the voters, almost like a boy being given a baby to hold, nervous and dismissive. As well as his fumbling of the flesh he recently made one of his typical hit and run forays to the press, galvanising as much column inches for the labouring PD's. He had the gall to admonish the cost of the tribunals (not that he is incorrect), a consequence of the extraordinary fees that his own ilk are feeding on. Does he forget that he (WE!) recently paid, according to the latest Sunday Business Post (March 11th 2007), twice the price for the new prison site at Thornton Hall than it is worth?