Joan Burton: I would have preferred Government role in finance
Tánaiste Joan Burton has suggested she was disappointed to be given the job of Minister for Social Protection - saying she was more interested in a finance job instead.
Ms Burton has also dismissed claims from her predecessor Eamon Gilmore, who said she wanted the job as Minister for Foreign Affairs for herself.
She said that she had some interest in the role, as she had previously been a junior minister there.
However, she said that when Labour entered Government she was more interested in the financial state of the country.
"The job that I think, and the reputation that I had in going into Government, was in relation to economics and finance," she said.
"Obviously, I've lived abroad and worked abroad, and been Minister, on a previous occasion, for overseas development, but my focus really was on the economic rescue of the country."
