Outspoken Justice Minister to Be Ireland's Deputy Leader

Michael McDowell, Ireland's combative justice minister, was confirmed as leader of the Progressive Democrat party today, signalling an early start to the country's general election campaign.

The outspoken opponent of Sinn Fein, who last year had the windows shot out of his country home, will assume the position of Tanaiste, deputy prime minister of the republic.

The Progressive Democrats (PDs) are the junior partner in the governing coalition led by Bertie Ahern and his Fianna Fail party. The party is unusual in Irish politics as it was founded in the 1980s to advance free-market economics; the other main parties trace their origins back to divisions entrenched since the civil war in the 1920s.

There will be intense scrutiny of the close relationship Mr McDowell will have to forge with Mr Ahern, who has been at the head of the ruling coalition for nine years. At one stage the justice minister supposedly compared the Fianna Fail leader to the executed Romanian communist president, Nicolae Ceausescu.

Mr McDowell, a formidable barrister with a reputation as a political hothead, was elected leader of the PDs unopposed after Mary Harney - his predecessor with whom he had publicly clashed - resigned abruptly last week after holding the post since 1993.

Ms Harney said she wanted to allow the party time to prepare for the general election due next summer. One commentator suggested today that the party should now be known as the "Aggressive Democrats".

The fast-moving internal party consultations, designed to secure Mr McDowell's swift victory, involved a hurriedly arranged meeting at Leopardstown Races over the weekend. The justice minister and Tom Parlon, a potential challenger, attracted so much attention during the Irish Champion Stakes that they were unable to conclude their negotiations.

Mr Parlon was eventually offered the consolation prize of becoming party president. Another possible opponent, Liz O'Donnell, has been appointed deputy party leader.

Mr McDowell's position as deputy prime minister will make it even less likely that Fianna Fail could do a deal with Sinn Fein, which hopes to hold the balance of power if no clear winner emerges at the general election. The government's main opposition is the alliance of Fine Gael and the Labour Party.

Last year the windows of Mr McDowell's holiday home in County Roscommon were damaged. It was never clear whether the attack was connected to his condemnation of the IRA or a local row.

Mr McDowell thanked his colleagues today for their "magnanimous" approach and displaying party unity. He denied he had ever compared Mr Ahern to Ceausescu and insisted he had been referring to the design proposed for a new sports stadium.