Ministers criticise anonymous comments relating to Patrick O’Donovan’s health

Ministers have criticised anonymous comments about the fitness of Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan to continue in his role because of health concerns.

On Tuesday, O’Donovan hit back against critics within his own party, accusing those who commented on his health of “the ultimate in betrayal”.

He was responding to briefings against him in coverage of the budget rows he became embroiled in last week.

Later on Tuesday O’Donovan was hospitalised after being taken ill at a European Union presidency event in Limerick.

On Wednesday, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke criticised comments attributed to members of Fine Gael about O’Donovan’s fitness to continue in his role.

Burke defended O’Donovan’s performance in his brief, saying he had “performed exceptionally well” in many areas.

“Patrick is a very valued colleague. He’s doing exceptional work in his department. Every department can be challenging from time to time, but never should anyone reach to issues like someone’s health as a reason where discussions would come forward,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.

“My thoughts are with his family, it’s been a difficult time since this illness. But he’s been so open about it, and he’s really encouraged others right throughout society who have a disability or have an illness that there is a place for you at the very top level of government.

“That should absolutely continue to be the place, because if we’re a society that’s closed to that, that would speak very poorly for us.”

Elsewhere, Fianna Fáil Minister for Further Education James Lawless said that speculation on someone’s health and ability to do their job was “a new low”.

He said: “My thoughts are with Patrick and his family. I haven’t heard any reports overnight since he was taken ill yesterday. Patrick is a solid worker at Cabinet. He makes strong contributions on a number of issues.

“This job is never easy for any of us, regardless, and I think bringing someone’s health into it is really a new low. I think that’s something that’s not really appropriate to be speculating on someone’s health, particularly in a political manoeuvring situation,” Lawless told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland.

Lawless said it was important “to rise above” the anonymous comments and to wish O’Donovan well in his recovery.

A Fine Gael TD was quoted at the weekend suggesting that people within the parliamentary party were questioning whether O’Donovan was healthy enough to continue in his role, with a Cabinet source in the party quoted as suggesting a discussion on whether O’Donovan was “well enough” to stay in his role was likely.

On Tuesday, O’Donovan criticised an “anonymous source on the front page of a reputable Sunday paper last week calling into question my health ... that source was attributed to my own party”.

He fell ill later in the day and a spokeswoman said: “The Minister became unwell during the EU informal meeting at the University of Limerick and has been taken off site for assessment and treatment.”

O’Donovan, who is Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, was hospitalised after becoming unwell during an official trip to Brussels during the summer.

He has previously spoken about his experience living with epilepsy, which he was diagnosed with more than 10 years ago.