Former finance minister Paschal Donohoe said he left Government because of the “opportunity that has presented itself to me”, rejecting the idea that his exit was linked to political tensions.
On Tuesday, the former Dublin Central TD revealed he was “departing from public life in Ireland” to assume the World Bank’s second-highest role as managing director and chief knowledge officer, reports Breaking News.
Speaking on RTÉ’s *Today with David McCullagh*, the former Dublin Central TD said he never aspired to be Taoiseach and added: “The pinnacle of my ambitions was to be able to leave what I inherited from the great man that was Michael Noonan (former Fine Gael finance minister who preceded him in office) in as best condition as I could do and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do”, reports Breaking News.
Discussing Tánaiste Simon Harris, who will now become Minister for Finance, Mr Donohoe said: “I’m so glad he’s done it as he and I have the same views on our economy”, reports Breaking News.
When asked whether Mr Harris had pressured him to be generous in last year’s pre-election budget, Mr Donohoe replied: “Nope”, reports Breaking News.
Questioned about what he considered his biggest failure in Government, Mr Donohoe pointed to the pandemic, saying there were events during that time that “if we had anticipated happening, we would have acted in different ways”, reports Breaking News.
He said: “when you are presented with the scale of threat to life that we were, having to manage all the pressures around us, that is an experience that I’m glad we have behind us”, reports Breaking News.
Mr Donohoe expressed gratitude to the people of Dublin Central for their support, saying he has “lived in and represented the best part of the best city in the world and I will always, always be so grateful for the way in which I have been respected and (they) re-elected me”, reports Breaking News.
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