EDITORIAL: 'Patrick O'Donovan has courage to speak out while others whisper'
Limerick minister said he wants to show that people with a disability or neurological condition can work in government
Politics is a tough, tough game and it is only natural that people will talk.
This past week we have seen the stark contrast between the bullish nature of Minister Patrick O’Donovan as he deals with a health issue and the cowardice of ‘anonymous’ TDs who choose to talk about it behind his back.
If the intention behind the quotes in a newspaper the Sunday before last was to undermine the Limerick County TD in his role as minister, it did not go quite according to plan.
A clearly hurt Minister O’Donovan faced the cameras the following Tuesday morning and shot with both barrels.
“Last Sunday wasn’t anything to do with epilepsy. Last Sunday was the ultimate in betrayal,” he said, describing the comments in the Sunday paper as a sad day for Irish politics.
He went further, saying the betrayal was not just of him, but of people living with life-changing, life-limiting conditions, many of whom face diagnoses far worse than his own. His comments have been met with widespread support.
Mr O’Donovan has spoken publicly about his epilepsy diagnosis, saying he wanted to show that people with a disability or neurological condition can work in government. “But it does require supports”.
And that is the key word - supports.
There is no doubt that a government ministry is an extremely busy and stressful job. Mr O’Donovan has looked tired at times in recent weeks, and his health is now under greater scrutiny. But across all walks of life, people in demanding, high-profile jobs are balancing their responsibilities with illnesses, some visible, others hidden.
Finding the right medication and lifestyle balance can take time. People should be afforded that time to recover, or to reach a point where they can fulfil a role they love, if medical advice allows.