Stroke politics claims at museum appointment denied

The Government has denied accusations of "stroke politics" in the appointment of its candidate for a forthcoming Seanad by-election to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art.

Heather Humphreys, the arts minister, said that 37-year-old John McNulty, a convenience store owner from Donegal, is appropriately qualified to take up the position as a director of the contemporary art gallery.

She was forced to come before the Upper House to answer questions about the appointment which was made six days before Mr McNulty was nominated as Fine Gael’s candidate to take a vacant seat on the cultural panel of the Seanad.