The arts minister says she's "not at liberty to say" who gave her John McNulty's CV for appointment to the board of IMMA.
Heather Humphreys says it's a matter for Fine Gael, but insists she was the only one responsible for his appointment.
In the Dáil this lunchtime Tánaiste Joan Burton has also defended his appointment to IMMA, saying the museum would benefit from his business experience.
But the minister whose appointment triggered the controversy was staying guarded - and would not identify the person who had passed on Mr McNulty's CV:
Meanwhile a Labour minister has floated the prospect that John McNulty may ALREADY have been elected to the Seanad, because of the number of votes already cast.
Minister Alan Kelly says it's a definite possibility:
