I can take criticism – but it really affects my parents, says Mary

JOBS Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor has spoken of how critical coverage of her performance hits her parents hardest.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1’s Marian Finucane Show yesterday, Ms Mitchell O’Connor said her parents are very important to her.

She told presenter Brendan O’Connor: ‘It’s hurtful. It comes with the job, so ministers get criticism all the time. And I can take that.

‘But actually who it really hurts are my parents. I’d get a phone call maybe at 6 o’clock in the morning from my mother who didn’t sleep all night,’ she said.

‘Last week my mother – she is in hospital – and my sister sent me a text message of a photograph of her reading one of the national newspapers.

‘I texted her back and said: “Will you grab that paper off of her as quick as you can because I don’t want her to get to the middle pages,” because I was splashed all over it. So it is hurtful, but that comes with the territory.’

She added later: ‘My family are important to me. At the moment the two of them are in hospital, and if they are listening I wish them well. My sisters are especially good because I’m so busy it can be hard, but they are very good for visiting my parents in hospital.’

She also said that the family may be looking at nursing homes soon, and that will be a difficult process for them to deal with and for her parents.