Humphreys stonewalls questions on McNulty

Arts Minister Heather Humphreys has refused to answer questions about who advised her to appoint a failed party election candidate to a state board and instead said it is a matter for Fine Gael.

The new minister faced more queries yesterday as the botched Seanad by-election debacle rumbled on.

The ongoing criticism of the appointment of Donegal businessman John McNulty to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art — just ahead of his nomination for a Seanad seat — also dominated proceedings during leaders’ questions in the Dáil.

Ms Humphreys refused to say who had put his name forward from the party.

“I just want to make it very clear I appointed John McNulty to the board of Imma based on his credentials and I take full responsibility for that.

“I felt he would be a good contribution to the board and has a broad range of skills, business and cultural. And I take responsibility for that because I felt he would bring a regional balance to the board and he would improve and help different perspectives to be given to the decision making.”

But when asked several times what representations were made to her by Fine Gael officials on Mr McNulty’s appointment and by whom, the minister said: “I’m not at liberty to say who mentioned his name to me because that’s a Fine Gael matter. I got his CV, I looked at it, I assessed it and I take full responsibility.”

Fianna Fáil’s Robert Troy told Tánaiste Joan Burton Labour’s silence on the issue was deafening.