Patrick O’Donovan makes Limerick political history

PATRICK O’Donovan’s late father “pleaded” with him not to get involved in politics but he was smiling down from above last week to see his son appointed a minister.

The irony of his ministry - Further and Higher Education - is not lost on him as he told the Limerick Leader the biggest motivator that his mother and father (Nellie and John) had in their lives was the education of their children “because it was something that they never had”.

“When we were young and going to school it was all about work, work, work for them to be able to afford to give us the opportunity to go to third level or do your best in a trade that is going to get you a qualification to stay in the country and rear a family.

"That’s the biggest gift I think you can give anybody. In their day you didn’t even get to second level,” said Mr O’Donovan, who studied industrial chemistry in UCC and worked in health and safety before attending Mary Immaculate College to become a teacher.

He spoke to the Leader this week about his promotion to Cabinet, his health, University of Limerick and making Limerick political history.

“I'm the first Fine Gael TD to be elected in Limerick West or Limerick County constituencies to be appointed to the Cabinet since the foundation of the State. That's a huge honour,” said Mr O’Donovan, who is married to Eileen and they have three children - John, Mae, and Nel. He vows to bring a rural and a farmer voice to the Cabinet.

“The things that will motivate me and guide me most is where I come from and the type of people that I represent,” said the Newcastle West man.

“Limerick County is the most rural constituency in the country. The largest urban centre is in Newcastle West with only about seven and a half thousand people,” he added.

Mr O’Donovan said he got a well-publicised health scare in the Dail last year.

“I got a fright but I've been well looked after in the intervening period. I've had to make some lifestyle changes which is a good thing,” said Mr O’Donovan, who echoed the words of his father-in-law Stephen Keary, who has survived cancer, at a fundraising coffee morning in Croagh at the weekend that you must have regular check-ups.

“Every car goes in at least once a year to the garage but as human beings, we seem to think that we're above that,” said Mr O'Donovan, who hands over his former role as Minister of State for the OPW to fellow Fine Gael Limerick TD Kieran O'Donnell.

The ongoing situation in University of Limerick with the overpayment of €5.2m on a deal to buy houses in Rhebogue is now Mr O'Donovan's remit.

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“What I can say is limited because of the various different investigations that are going on. But what I can say is the reputation of the University of Limerick is critical not only to the university, but it's critical to the region and it's critical to the country. We can't have the students and the academic staff with this permacloud over them,” said Mr O’Donovan.

He said his ministerial predecessor and now Taoiseach, Simon Harris, brought in the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Act which empowered the HEA to do things that they weren't allowed to do beforehand.

“Those powers now can be invoked by the HEA to assist in getting to the bottom of what has happened and how we move forward.

"The reputational issues have to be restored quickly and the governance issues that are being reported upon have to be remedied in a way that gives confidence to students, their parents who pay fees, the people who work out there and the Government because we are ultimately responsible for giving public money to the organisation.

"I think it would be only appropriate that for all of us to move forward, there has to be a level of confidence restored, and the sooner that is done, the better,” he said.