JOHN O'DONOGHUE brings a ferocious energy and commitment to everything he does. The Fianna Fail spokesman on justice doesn't believe in half measures to be moderate is to be weak and weakness doesn't figure in his South Kerry vocabulary.
Almost single handedly, he has repositioned Fianna Fail in the law and order firmament. From being a party of temperate credentials, with a strong autocratic streak in times of crisis, Fianna Fail is stealing Fine Gael's clothes as the scourge of lawbreakers and the protector of solid citizens. He has taken his law and order campaign, linked to the notion of "zero tolerance", even to the door of the Garda Commissioner.
It's a development that pleases Bertie Ahern. After unemployment, crime is seen as the burning issue of the election. And John O'Donoghue is emerging as the flail of wrongdoers and the scourge of Nora Owen. More prisons, more gardai, more judges, harsher laws and penalties is his mantra. Criminals must pay.
Liberal critics of this approach might deride the Cahirciveen TD's "brash and braying rhetoric", but the reality is somewhat different. Mr O'Donoghue is one of the brightest and most accomplished performers on Fianna Fail's front bench. Behind his stilted courtroom style or his ruddy faced, aggressive presentation lurks an agile brain, a feel for the political jugular and a wicked sense of humour.
In two years, Mr O'Donoghue has brought 10 separate crime Bills to the Dail. His work rate is immense and his delight in the cut and thrust of debate is palpable. Vitriol drips when he and Pat Rabbitte bludgeon one another and his voice resembles a foghorn when the accident prone Nora Owen is on the receiving end. The Minister is asked to "consider her position" at least once a month.
For all his sharpness and raw ambition, promotion has been slow. A protege of Charlie Haughey, he entered the Dail on his fourth attempt in 1987 and became a Minister of State in 1991 as a result of the heave against Mr Haughey by Albert Reynolds. Only months later, he suffered from "snakes and ladders" syndrome when a triumphant Albert swung the axe.
FROM the back benches, he gave his nationalism and innate conservatism free rein, objecting to changes in Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution, resisting moves towards divorce and challenging initiatives on abortion.
The fall of the Fianna Fail/Labour Party government brought his appointment as justice spokesman by Mr Ahern. And while his "justice red in tooth and claw" approach has to be modified by his more experienced colleagues, Mr O'Donoghue enjoys a growing stature within the party.
He joined other "young turks" on the front bench in a mini revolt against the acceptance of government legislation providing for the right to travel and abortion information in 1993. And he repeated the exercise last week when he supported another abortion referendum.
Mr O'Donoghue's views surprised nobody his apparent attempt to pre empt party policy did. There was rage in some quarters at his behaviour. But the Kerry TD has conservative constituents, a thick skin and strongly held beliefs. He is popular at Leinster House, where he is regarded as convivial company and a wicked mimic. Health and the electorate willing, he should make a formidable minister.