Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That was a mistake by me. I should have personally told the Taoiseach that this appointment was coming up. I honestly did not see it as a controversial appointment. There were a lot of other things on that day that many people would have thought were much more substantial than this part-time appointment. It was mistake by me, however. A Taoiseach should never be hearing something for the first time in a Cabinet meeting. I telephoned the Taoiseach the evening after that Cabinet meeting and apologised for allowing that to happen.