Minister Patrick O'Donovan Leah Farrell
Limerick
O’Donovan was taken by ambulance to hospital on Tuesday after becoming unwell at an EU presidency event.
MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS Patrick O’Donovan remains in intensive care in Limerick hospital after taking ill on Tuesday.
O’Donovan was taken by ambulance to hospital on Tuesday afternoon after he became unwell at an informal meeting of EU communications ministers at the University of Limerick.
The minister returned to work in September after a period of illness over the summer.
In July, O’Donovan, who has been open about his experience of living with epilepsy, became unwell and was hospitalised in Belgium before being flown back to Ireland on the government’s private jet a few days later.
Last weekend, it was reported in the Sunday Times, that he did not travel to an EU meeting in Strasbourg last Thursday due to illness.
Before becoming unwell on Tuesday, O’Donovan hit out at quotes from anonymous government ministers about his health in last weekend’s Sunday papers, describing them as “hurtful” and “the ultimate betrayal”.
Yesterday, senior ministers criticised the anonymous briefings about O’Donovan.
Minister for Higher Education James Lawless said the speculation on O’Donovan’s health and his ability to do the job was a “new low”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme, Lawless said: “My thoughts are with Patrick and his family… 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.”
Meanwhile, Fine Gael minister Peter Burke told Newstalk Breakfast that O’Donovan is a “very valued colleague”.
“He’s doing exceptional work in his department,” Burke said, adding that discussions about a person’s health shouldn’t be part of the conversation about his performance as a minister.
“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,” Burke said.