The Renua leader has said Enda Kenny has now contradicted himself in his explanation of the John McNulty affair.

The Taoiseach previously said he had not given any instruction to his arts minister, Heather Humphreys, to make Mr McNulty a director of the Irish Museum of Modern Art.

But in last night's RTE Leaders' Debate, Enda Kenny said he made the appointment - comments he later sought to play down.

Lucinda Creighton - a former junior minister in the Taoiseach's department - says both stories cannot be true: “I am saying that he contradicted everything he said in the Dáil, in the debate last night.

“It comes as no surprise, I’m aware and I think that anybody who is around including I’m sure all you journalists who are following the various political appointments that have happened over the last five years that all of them go through the Department of the Taoiseach.

“They go through the Tanaiste’s office and the Taoiseach’s office and anybody who is suggesting that is not the case is simply not telling the truth.”