PERSONAL REACTION:MINISTER FOR Finance Brian Lenihan told RTÉ Radio yesterday that he had been "overwhelmed" by the public goodwill shown to him since the news came out of his cancer diagnosis.
Interviewed by Seán O'Rourke on the News at Oneprogramme, he described how he had first learned he had cancer of the pancreas and then broke the news to his immediate family and to Taoiseach Brian Cowen.
“I had a pain in my stomach for a few weeks before the Budget and I was concerned about it, though I thought it was muscular. I went in for tests in the Mater hospital a few days after the Budget.
“I’d had an acute onset of jaundice, a very rapid onset, and the doctors examined what was wrong with me and they established that there was a blockage in my pancreas.
“They inserted a stent, so my pancreas is working normally, but the blockage did comprise cancerous tissue which will require medical intervention.
“It will require chemotherapy, it will require radiotherapy. They’re not able to operate on it at this stage because it’s very close to a blood vessel.
“So all of that of course, was a great shock to me when I heard about it, as any of these things are to anyone who’s had a warning of this type, and I will have to adjust my lifestyle and set my priorities in terms of tackling this illness, but I am in a position to continue to tackle my work as well.”
Asked how he was able to cope with the diagnosis and then reveal it to other people, he said: “Well, of course, I discussed the matter with my own family in the first instance and discussed it with them at length.
“I have to say that I am philosophical about life and I’m a great believer in looking at the positive side of things and I decided I would battle it and deal with it, and I don’t think really it’s a matter that requires much elaboration.”
Asked how he had broken the news to Mr Cowen, he said: “I went to the Taoiseach as soon as I was released from the hospital and I explained the position. He was very upset to hear of my bad news but he indicated to me that he was anxious that, if I could see my way to continuing to serve, I would.
“I weighed up the options. Naturally, you have to look at the position here in the department and ensure that the country is served fully.
“So I consulted with my doctors and inquired as to whether I would be in a position to do that, given the treatment I am now going to receive – the treatment starts later this week – and my doctors assured me I would be able to fulfil the duties of the office.”
Because of his illness, he would no longer be accepting engagements to speak in different parts of the country, due to the risk of infection: “You know yourself, in politics there’s a great deal of gallivanting around taking place on the part of all politicians and it goes with the nature of politics. I won’t be gallivanting around, but I’ll probably have rather more time to work in my department and work at my desk than I normally would have.”
Commenting on the leaking of the story of his illness, he said: “There was a fairly wide circle of knowledge in terms of my condition. A number of news organisations approached my office on Christmas Eve about my condition and, again, I’m glad I had some time to explain to my family.”
He had always intended to make a statement: “It is of public interest, the medical condition of the Minister for Finance. I don’t have an issue about that.”
However, he would have liked “a slightly longer opportunity” to explain matters “to my wider family and friends”.
Commenting on public reaction to his illness, he said: “I am overwhelmed by the degree of public goodwill that has been expressed to me. I very much appreciate it, and the number of individuals who’ve mentioned that they’re remembering me in their prayers or in their thoughts.
“I very much appreciate that and I hope, in the work I do in the months ahead – and in the years ahead, please God – that I can repay that goodwill by serving to the best of my abilities in the job I’m in.”
There was mixed reaction among traders yesterday as to the effect which Mr Lenihan’s comments had on the Dublin market.
“It’s a positive that he said it was his intention to continue to serve,” chief economist at Goodbody Stockbrokers, Dermot O’Leary said. “Over the last 12 months he has been the person who has delivered the message quite forcibly that Ireland will get its house in order.”
Irish banks advanced yesterday following the interview in which Mr Lenihan said the Government will provide more capital to the country’s banks if needed, adding that he intends to resolve the crisis in the banking sector in the first quarter of 2010.
However, there was some scepticism among traders as to the impact that Mr Lenihan’s speech had on the market.
One analyst said that the banks had rallied due to the overall market and were not specifically due to Mr Lehihan’s comments.
