Inside Ireland's Desperate Attempt To Conceal The Health Of Its Finance Minister

The week before Christmas it was revealed that the health ministers of Japan and Ireland -- two countries in precarious fiscal situations -- were both dealing with potentially serious problems.

In Japan, the story seemed clearly stress-related, as 77-year old Horiso Fujii was admitted to the hospital, saying he was in fact "warn out." He says he'll continue on at the job, however.

In Ireland it was revealed that Brian Lenihan was under treatment for pancreatic cancer. Though he plans to continue at the position, an article in the Irish Independent from this weekend reveals how the government pulled out all the stops to prevent the story from getting out.

Rumours about Mr Lenihan being seriously ill began circulating among political and media circles on Christmas Eve, with some speculation that it might be cancer.

Senior government advisers were in contact with a number of national news organisations, asking them not to run the story of Mr Lenihan's illness until after the Christmas break.

On Christmas Eve, TV3 director of news Andrew Hanlon, on learning of Mr Lenihan's condition, called in his senior political reporters and prepared to run the story.

It has emerged that the station's finance correspondent, Brian O'Donovan, was to report the story.

After speaking with Mr Lenihan's spokesman Eoin Dorgan, Hanlon decided to postpone running the story until St Stephen's Day, giving the minister 48 hours to tell his family, including his two children Tom and Clare.

The morning of St Stephen's Day marked the turning point for the story. The minister's spokesman, Eoin Dorgan, issued a statement shortly after 11am. In it he said: "The minister is well and enjoying the Christmas break with his family and does not propose talking to the media about anything until the new year."

By 1pm, it became known that TV3 was intending to break the Lenihan story on its 5.30pm bulletin.

Read the whole story at the Irish Independent -- >

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• The Worst Ever Christmas Of The Modern Irish State
• Irish Politician Yells "F*** You Deputy" During Debate On Deteriorating Financial Situation
• Finance Ministers Of Japan And Ireland Reveal Health Problems In The Same Week

Full story at http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/072Rs0sGB4s/inside-irelands-desperate-attempt-to-conceal-the-health-of-its-finance-minister-2010-1