Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To be fair, if Senator Gallagher looks at the Minister's record he has been a very regular and willing visitor to the Seanad for debates. Senator Craughwell raised the issue of Mr. Tony O'Brien and the remarks he made at the weekend. I was disappointed, having worked with Senator Craughwell and Mr. O'Brien, to see his remarks in the newspapers. To be fair, the Department of Health is a very complex area. Fianna Fáil dubbed it "Angola" and ran from the office for over a decade by assigning the portfolio to the former Deputy, Mary Harney.