Deenihan disappointed about demotion but embracing role with exiles

Former arts, heritage, and Gaeltacht minister Jimmy Deenihan yesterday said he was naturally disappointed about being demoted in the recent Cabinet reshuffle by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

“I had some really good programmes going and achieved quite a lot both locally and nationally, even though I had been given reduced funding each year,” he said.

Speaking for the first time since Friday’s reshuffle, he denied the illegal turf-cutting on EU-protected bogs and the Limerick City of Culture arts debacle were key factors in the loss of his senior post.