Senior civil servant to take charge of department during Patrick O’Donovan’s sick leave

The senior civil servant in Patrick O’Donovan’s department will take charge during the Minister’s absence from Government duties due to illness, it has been confirmed. Feargal Ó Coigligh, secretary general at the Department of Communications, Culture and Sport, will discharge the department’s administrative functions following the Minister’s admission to hospital last week. O’Donovan had a health episode when hosting an informal meeting of European Union ministers in Limerick and remains in hospital.At a briefing on Tuesday, the deputy Government spokesman said O’Donovan’s condition remained “stable” in hospital. READ MORE“He is likely to remain in hospital for a further period,” he said. [ ‘Leave my health out of it’: Anonymous briefings, a defiant response and a dramatic turn of eventsOpens in new window ]The department continued to operate as normal, the spokesman said, also saying further decisions would be made by the Minister in due course. No indication was given as to how long the recovery was expected to take or when O’Donovan would be in a position to resume his duties. The spokesman said there was a legal provision that allowed a minister to delegate functions to a secretary general for a period if they are on leave. Tánaiste Simon Harris, a Fine Gael colleague of O’Donovan’s, remains on paternity leave after the birth of his third child, but is due to return to work next week. In O’Donovan’s absence, another Fine Gael ministerial colleague, Peter Burke, brought a memo to Cabinet in his place last week. The Minister of State at the department, Charlie McConalogue, has also deputised for the Minister for Dáil questions and debates. In a statement last week, Harris said O’Donovan would continue to serve in Cabinet when he recovered from illness.O’Donovan was taken to hospital after falling ill on Tuesday last week in Limerick, where he was hosting an informal meeting of EU telecommunications ministers.At a press conference earlier that day, O’Donovan had criticised internal “betrayal” from some quarters in Fine Gael who had suggested anonymously that his health might preclude him from continuing in Cabinet.He was previously admitted to hospital during the summer while on an official trip to Brussels. O’Donovan has said he was diagnosed with epilepsy 10 years ago.