W2C-004 Belfast Telegraph 3-3.txt
He Deserved It - TD Suzanne Rodgers

Donegal TD Jim McDaid today welcomed the three-month sentence handed out to his teenage son for making hoax bomb telephone calls in London.

But the Fianna Fail Deputy, who is no stranger to controversy, said the scandal could have serious repercussions on his political career.

Mr McDaid's 19-year-old son, Jason, was given a three-month sentence at Camberwell Magistrates's Court yesterday when he pleaded guilty to making two hoax calls warning of a bomb in Oxford Street from a kiosk.

The court heard that he made the calls after a drinking spree celebrating his nineteenth birthday three weeks ago. He was arrested within minutes of making the calls. He has been in custody since.

Mr McDaid, a medical doctor in Letterkenny, who is TD for Donegal North-East, said: "He deserves the punishment he has been given. The whole family must suffer the consequences of an absurd and stupid act."

Adverse

"It was an outlandish, absurd and unbelievable thing for an intelligent young man to do," he added.

Deputy McDaid has conceded that the incident could have an adverse affect on his political career.

Mr McDaid was at the centre of another controversy in November 1991 when he was appointed Minister of Defence by the then Taoiseach, Charles Haughey. But he withdrew his own nomination less than 12 hours later when his involvement with Maze escaper James Clarke became public.

Deputy McDaid had given alibi evidence at Clarke's successful challenge to an extradition order and was photographed with him at his home-coming celebrations in Letterkenny.
