Minister forced to defend State board appointment before Seanad

Arts Minister Heather Humphreys was forced to defend her decision to appoint Fine Gael's candidate for a Seanad by-election to a state board.

Minister forced to defend State board appointment before Seanad

Arts Minister Heather Humphreys was forced to defend her decision to appoint Fine Gael's candidate for a Seanad by-election to a state board.

John McNulty, who is set to be elected to the Seanad next month, was made a director of the Irish Museum of Modern Art two weeks ago - a position he never applied for. Instead, he was appointed by the Arts Minister, Heather Humphreys, a fellow Fine Gael politician.

Just six days later, Mr McNulty cited his new position as grounds to be elected to the Seanad's Cultural panel. Since the Government holds a majority of the votes, his election, if supported by Government, would be guaranteed.

Minister Humphreys was forced to defend her position in the Seanad this evening following an earlier vote by the House.

She said her choice of candidate had "appropriate balance of skills and expertise [for] their tenure."

Several Fine Gael Senators spoke out in favour of the appointment, welcoming the Minister to the House and congratulating her on her appointment.

Labour Senator Ivana Bacik, however, said the appointment "creates an unfortunate perception, and doesn't seem to be in keeping with the political reforms" of the current Government.

Her fellow Trinity Senator David Norris, however, said getting a job without applying was "extraordinary".

"I think this came form above. I think it's very obvious," he said. "Nothing could put in clearer context Enda Kenny's attitude towards Seanad Eireann than this utterly rigged and disgraced election."

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames, meanwhile, made much of the knock-on effect of Mr McNulty's likely Seanad election.

"Within two to three weeks of his appointment, he will have to stand down. This surely creates the greatest cynical stroke in politics in recent times," she said.

"There's no other job in Ireland ... that you could successfully win without being appropriately qualified ... or by suddenly going in a week before to make you qualified."

Before adjourning, the Minister was given three minutes to respond. "I have absolutely no role to play in selecting candidates for the Seanad by election - this is a matter for Fine Gael," she said.

The Minister then re-read several points from an earlier statement, to protests from the floor.

— Additional reporting Dave Molloy

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