Mary O’Rourke: Ray MacSharry saved my bacon

Former minister Mary O’Rourke has revealed how ex-finance minister Ray MacSharry came to her rescue at a heated meeting of the Fianna Fáil political party in 1987.

As a “rookie” education minister Ms O’Rourke was under fire for implementing government policy which would increase the pupil-teacher ratio by three.

The country was in the midst of an economic crisis and, as finance minister, Mr MacSharry had to try to correct the public finances.