A Labour minister says she cannot say whether John McNulty is a suitable candidate for the Seanad.
Education minister Jan O’Sullivan says she knows nothing about the Fine Gael candidate, other than what she has read in the papers.
The minister admits that the furore over McNulty’s appointment to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art proves that all public positions need to be fully advertised in future.
And she says the whole situation has been terribly handled.
Despite Jan O’Sullivan’s comments, the Justice Minister says John McNulty’s appointment won’t cause a rift in the coalition.
Frances Fitzgerald says Mr McNulty is a very capable candidate for the Seanad.
Yesterday, Mr Mc Nulty stepped down from the IMMA board, saying that contesting the election precludes him from being a member. Another candidate, Independent Gerard Craughwell sought to have him deemed ineligible as a candidate as a result, but that was rejected by the Oireachtas returning officers.
Meanwhile, on today’s Shaun Doherty Show, Junior Minister Joe Mc Hugh said this situation has been handled badly, and a good man has become caught up in a controversy which is not of his own making………….
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
