Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness says offering the Health Minister a baby’s soother was his attempt at humour.
The Carlow-Kilkenny Deputy made the approach to Stephen Donnelly at this week’s parliamentary party meeting.
He said it was his grandchild’s soother which was in his pocket:
“That’s what happens when you’re looking after your grandchildren. You tend to put these items in your pocket from time to time”
There’s been ongoing tension between the two politicians.
The local TD has repeatedly called for the Minister and the Department of Health Secretary General Robert Watt to appear before the Oireachtas Finance Committee over the senior civil servant’s € 81,000 pay increase.
Deputy McGuinness says he offered the soother as a joke in an attempt to calm matters between them:
“I’m afraid my attempt at humour may not have worked”
