WATCH: New Limerick minister toasts Michael Noonan at homecoming

NEWLY appointed Minister Patrick O'Donovan has saluted former Limerick TD Michael Noonan at his homecoming.

The Fine Gael TD was joined by friends, family and supporters at the Longcourt House Hotel in his home town of Newcastle West on Thursday night.

It came following his elevation to cabinet by new Taoiseach Simon Harris, who appointed the Limerick TD to his first Cabinet in his former role of Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

Pictured below: Tom and Fiona Gallagher with Patrick O'Donovan

"When I first became a Minister of State in the Department of Tourism and Sport with Shane Ross - ye'll all remember him! - Michael Noonan was the person who schooled me into the art of being a minister. Of what you can achieve and more importantly, the things you can't achieve and how important it is to try and ensure over a period of time you do your best," he told the audience.

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He also paid tribute to another "mentor", former Fine Gael TD Michael Finucane.

A massive honour to be nominated to serve in Government by Taoiseach @SimonHarrisTD and to receive the seal of office at Áras an Uachtaráin. Looking forward to my new role within Government. pic.twitter.com/QERFz6nLZA

— Patrick O'Donovan (@podonovan) April 11, 2024

It was Mr Finucane whose seat on the old Limerick County Council Mr O'Donovan was co-opted onto following the ending of the dual mandate.

"I'm very proud of where I come from. And I'm very proud not only of the fact I am from Newcastle West, but that I am a proud Limerick person. I'm proud of what we have achieved over the past number of years in the county. I take an awful lot of that from a mentor of mine, Michael Finucane and also Michael Noonan," Mr O'Donovan said.

Warm words were also reserved his his own father-in-law, the Croagh councillor and former mayor Stephen Keary.