Enda Kenny with Jan O’Sullivan and pupils from Gardiner Street National School, Dublin at government buildings earlier
No instruction had been given to Minister for the Arts Heather Humphreys on the issue. She herself read his qualifications, read his credentials and appointed him, as she was entitled to do, to be a member of the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (Imma), Mr Kenny said.
“He did not know at the time he was appointed whether he was going to be a candidate for the Senate or not,’’ the Taoiseach added.
The Taoiseach said when he gave his imprimatur that Mr McNulty should be considered for a nomination to contest the byelection, the Fine Gael system of validating candidates took over.
A sub-committee of the party’s executive council considered the names for a nomination. Twenty-nine people were being considered and Mr McNulty indicated he would like to serve on a cultural board.
Mr Kenny added the Fine Gael official dealing with the matter did not go back to the sub-committee, which was a cause of great “angst and a cause of concern” to him.
Seems legit.
Taoiseach says he did not discuss Imma job with McNulty (Irish Times)
(Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland)
4th photo must be parodying Father Ted
I read in the Indie, that it was just one of those unhappy coincidences, and seemingly a over enthusiastic government official was to blame.
Thankfully, Enda has has harsh words with this clown, and he’s taking steps to see it never happens again.
“She herself read his qualifications, read his credentials and appointed him, as she was entitled to do”
It’s a own goal of Kenny’s making, just trying to pass the buck back to his totally unsuitable Arts minister of his appointment.