Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
JUNIOR MINISTER DAMIEN English has said that it would be a “cop out” for his party to reveal the Fine Gael who suggested John McNulty’s name to Arts Minister Heather Humphreys.
Humphreys says McNulty’s name was suggested to her as suitable candidate for a place on the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art but both she and her party colleagues have refused to say who it was.
Fine Gael argue that this is a party matter and, speaking on RTÉ’s the Week in Politics this afternoon, English suggested that the decision to recommend McNulty to Humphreys was separate from his actual appointment.
“It is a private matter who the person is within Fine Gael. It would be a cop out to know who that person was,” he said.
English added that Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s acceptance that he shoulders the blame for the ongoing affair is something that should be commended.
“A Taoiseach has for once come out and said that he’s the Taoiseach and is taking responsibility. That should be viewed useful development in my view,” he added.
Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald TD said that it would only be considered a positive development if “it was clear what the Taoiseach was apologising for”.
“You have the bizarre situation where the Taoiseach has left you wondering what the apology is for. The minister is in a similar situation where she can’t give a straight answer,” said McDonald.
Fianna Fáil’s Seán O’Fearghail went a step further saying that he believes Kenny was pushing for McNulty to be appointed to the IMMA board:
I believe that Heather Humphreys was acting under the instruction of the Taoiseach or those acting on behalf of the Taoiseach. So in my view he needs to come out and give a clear unambiguous answer to the questions.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Ah fantastic news. Sure we definitely need another pandemic. I was getting bored of no pandemic news.
@Andy O’B: you do know that they’ve previously reported this type of stuff in the news even before covid? Get over yourself.
@Aidan Walsh: relax there Aido!
@Aidan Walsh: Lighten up there Aidan, it was only a joke. Remember them?
It was bad enough explaining to people how I got Covid…. Having to explain monkey pox will be a nightmare.
@Ronnie Mhelan: why so? Are the people you know all homophobic?
@Alan Peters: Ok Alan
@PrincessLeia: in the early days of the HIV endemic those infected had an average of 7-8 sexual partners a year
@Alan Peters: Maybe you should worry about your own sex-life Alan and not get yourself so heavily invested in what anybody else is doing?
@Alan Peters: seriously, it comes across as creepy and weird.
@PrincessLeia: it comes across like you’re desperate for a fight….
We are so lucky that the FDA approved a jab for monkey pox in September 2019 just before covid hit! What are the chances! You’d swear they knew something like this was gonna happen!
@James Quinn: it’s around since 1958 dude, take off the tin foil hat. It’s not a new thing. Spanner
@James Quinn: Did you actually read that article? Because if you did you would know that this was developed and approved following an outbreak of monkey pox in the US in 2003. The vaccine also includes smallpox which is not part of their vaccination program since 1973 so the general population do not have immunity since it was eradicated and the vaccinationprogram ceased. This vaccine is part of the stockpiling program so its there should they need it. It’s called disease prevention and control. Aren’t we lucky there are clever people that look after these things. By the way they had been saying for a number of years we were due a pandemic it’s part of their job to research and predict these things it’s not a conspiracy just because it’s something you don’t understand.
@Dawn Harvey: and 33 have thumbed up his post already….so many believe the first thing they read here in the comments section. Pity!
@James Quinn: yay, something new to fuel the manufactured outrage of conspiracy theory.
@PrincessLeia: they’ll be positively salivating over this- a perfect opportunity to misrepresent reality and stoke paranoia and fear.
@Rmaybe: Thank God someone has some common sense
@David J Warren: Common sense beings with reading and comprehension.
Oh oh here we go again!
Another poxy story on the journal
Every country is now become endemic. Covid has proved that.
@Dave Barrett: I don’t understand this comment. Endemic is in relation to the infection being constantly maintained at a baseline level in a geographical region. Covid is still prevelant worldwide how has it proven every country is endemic and how can a country be endemic? Chicken pox can be endemic to Ireland but Malaria is not . A country can have many infections and diseases some naturally occurring in the geographical region and some for outside transmission such as travel. The flu has always spread around the world and that is how the vaccine is tweaked each year. So again how can a country be endemic and how has covid proved this.?
Diversity is our strength
Diversity is our strength
Diversity is our strength
Diversity is our strength
have your say