Fine Gael Seanad candidate John McNulty attended no meetings, met no senior official, or made no formal visit to the Irish Museum of Modern Art during the 13 days he served as a member of its board.

The Donegal businessman yesterday announced he was stepping down from the board of Imma, having been appointed on September 12th by Minister for Arts Heather Humphreys. Mr McNulty said he was resigning because Imma's rules precluded him from being a board member and contesting an election at the same time.

He said he would retain his membership of Imma, but it is understood he became a member only recently.

Mr McNulty's two-week appointment to the board of Imma has become a major political embarrassment for Fine Gael and for Taoiseach Enda Kenny and has drawn assertions of "cronyism" and "stroke-pulling".

The criticism has not been confined to Opposition figures. Waterford Fine Gael TD John Deasy yesterday said: “People within Fine Gael are becoming disgusted with the way the party is being run.”

Fine Gael Deputy for Kerry South Brendan Griffin said: “John Deasy is entitled to voice his opinion, and I know of many TDs who agree with him.”

The extraordinarily brief period of Mr McNulty’s directorship – less than a fortnight – has led to accusations that it was designed solely to give him sufficient qualifications to allow him stand for the Culture and Education Panel in the Seanad byelection on October 10th.

Both Mr Kenny and Ms Humphreys have deflected all questions about the circumstances behind Mr McNulty’s appointment to Imma, including who suggested he was a suitable appointee, and if the Minister for Arts was aware he was Fine Gael’s Seanad candidate at the time of his appointment.

Gallery boards

New rules introduced by the Government reduced the size of the boards of the State’s major museums and art galleries to nine members.

However, the appointment of Mr McNulty, and of Sheila O’Regan from Limerick, brought the total number on Imma’s board to 11. No explanation has been given as to why the ceiling was breached.

Speaking from the Ploughing championship yesterday, Mr Kenny made it clear it was he who had chosen Mr McNulty as the candidate to fill the Seanad vacancy caused by the election of Deirdre Clune to the European Parliament.