THE Government narrowly averted its first own goal of the election campaign when the Attorney General, Mr Dermot Gleeson, pulled out of the inauguration of a new agricultural policy initiative yesterday.
The Government Information Service (GIS) announced before lunchtime that due to Mr Bruton's attendance at the informal EU Council meeting in the Netherlands yesterday, "the initiative will be launched by the Attorney General, Mr Dermot Gleeson SC" at 5 p.m.
When political correspondents turned up to question the Attorney General, who has an inside knowledge of major controversies - the McCole case, the beef tribunal and the Dunnes payments tribunal - they were told he would not be performing the ceremony. "It is only a mickeymouse thing," said a GIS official. "He had a prior engagement."
It later transpired that one of the Taoiseach's advisers had asked the Attorney General to introduce the joint venture between Teageasc, Irish universities and the world renowned Agricultural Policy Research Institute of the University of Missouri, "as a favour in the absence of the Taoiseach".
Senior Government sources later said that the Attorney General had been advised yesterday afternoon that "it would not be appropriate" for him to launch an agricultural policy initiative. He had taken soundings on the matter after the GIS statement had been issued.
The Fianna Fail health spokesman, Mr Brian Cowen, said the Attorney General's "no show" at the press conference was a continuation of the Government's cover up over the McCole case.
"This is the second time that the Attorney General has refused to appear because he might have to account for the Government's involvement in the McCole case. Last week, he refused to show up to the Dail's social affairs committee."
