Noonan to stay as minister despite cancer

Michael Noonan has signalled he intends to stay on as finance minister after revealing he had a cancerous lump removed from his shoulder last week.

The 71-year-old minister, who had the key cabinet role steering the country out of the bailout crisis, had surgery following five weeks of radiotherapy after developing a lump, known as a sarcoma, in February.

Mr Noonan said he remained finance minister at Enda Kenny’s “discretion”, but a source close to the Taoiseach confirmed it was “absolutely” the case everyone wanted the Limerick TD to stay in the pivotal economic role.