Humphreys slammed for appointment

The Arts Minister, Heather Humphreys, has defended a decision to appoint Fine Gael’s Seanad by-election candidate to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) — without going through the public procurement process.

John McNulty, a 37-year-old from Donegal, was appointed on September 12, just days before nominations closed. The appointment was cited in his nomination papers as part of his credentials to take a seat on the Cultural and Education Panel.

Fellow candidate, independent, Gerard Craughwell said this was just an attempt to boost these credentials. A spokesperson for the minister said Mr McNulty was appointed “based on his business experience and involvement in cultural and heritage groups”.