Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

Sometimes there are unfair comments about ministerial appointments to boards. People have a contribution to make. I have been appointed to a number of boards over the years. My first appointment was to the board of St. James's Hospital. I was then appointed to the Tallaght hospital planning board for a number of years. I was removed from a number of boards, although not the hospital boards, by Fianna Fáil Ministers and was re-appointed to the Tallaght hospital board by a Fine Gael Minister, Deputy Howlin.

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