The Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Mr Brian Lenihan, was in ebullient form yesterday morning as he arrived at the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin, to announce funding for local authority playgrounds.
Mr Lenihan, frequently mentioned as one of those likely to gain promotion in a Cabinet reshuffle, insisted the outgoing Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, was "not as parsimonious as some would have been suggesting on the radio this morning".
He added that he had very good news. A report last March had identified a need for funding of €17 million for playgrounds.
A total of €5 million had already been found, an initial €3 million topped up by €1 million each from the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, and Mr McCreevy.
When asked if this would be the start of the loosening of the purse-strings, Mr Lenihan said: "From the time the report came out last March, Mr McCreevy was keen to give it substance, to put flesh on the bones.
"Many reports come out with a fanfare but no funding.
"But Mr McCreevy was keen to ensure that everyone would apply, that everyone would get a grant. In the end only one authority did not apply, and one was late."
When asked how he rated his chances of promotion in the upcoming reshuffle, he answered: "That is entirely a matter for the Taoiseach. Entirely a matter for the Taoiseach."
Back inside the press launch the Minister rose to his feet to point out that the "Government do find money in funny cupboards sometimes".
He added that the good thing about playgrounds was that "it's not like the Luas - you can build them much more quickly".
Any question of an insurance risk with playgrounds had been overcome by discussions directly with the local authority's insurers, Mr Lenihan said.
When asked again about his own political future he repeated his earlier words, paused, then burst out laughing and added: "You didn't get much out of me there."
