Minister for Justice Michael McDowell yesterday challenged Fine Gael to say if it was party policy that returning missionaries should undergo compulsory medical tests, and that heroin should be legalised.
He was responding to comments made by Fine Gael candidate Dr Bill Tormey on the Late Late Show on Friday night.
Dr Tormey was highlighting the Aids crisis in sub-Saharan Africa when he said that people arriving in Ireland should be tested for such diseases. Mr McDowell said "this type of xenophobia has no place in modern Irish society".
Dr Tormey rejected Mr McDowell's criticism, and accused the Minister of "play-acting" and trying to "whip up the crowd".
He said he fully supported immigration to this country, and was "completely against racism" and the segregation of refugees.
Dr Tormey said HIV/Aids was a major public health crisis, and countries in sub-Saharan Africa could not cope with the problem. Such testing would protect the health of immigrants as they could be treated for the disease here. It would also protect Ireland from the spread of these diseases.
He also defended his call for the legalisation of heroin, saying the focus should be on criminalising drug traffickers and drug pushers. He said he was not speaking for Fine Gael. "I'm speaking for myself."
Mr McDowell also described criminal justice proposals made by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny at the party's ardfheis as "back-of-the-envelope" suggestions.
Mr Kenny said the Oireachtas should decide the range of sentences for serious crimes and judges must explain their reasons if they deviated from this.
A Fine Gael spokesman said the party had "no interest in Michael McDowell's opinion on Fine Gael's electoral strategy".
Meanwhile, Fine Gael's proposal to fine drunks in A&Es has been described as "preposterous, superficial and nonsensical" by Colm O'Gorman who is running for the PDs in Wexford at the election.
"Many patients who present for healthcare at A&E wards suffer from addictions and varied forms of mental illness.
"Does Fine Gael intend to force doctors to go against their professional oath and refuse to treat patients on the basis of a poorly-informed, right-wing ideology?"
