Minister for Health Michael Noonan referred to his health in humorous terms in the Dáil when he was asked about budget proposals for childcare.

Mr Noonan was hospitalised earlier this month after contracting cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan had asked what measures Mr Noonan would be introducing in the Budget on childcare.

In the wake of media reports of a row between Fine Gael and Independent Minister for Children Katherine Zappone about childcare proposals, Mr Ryan claimed a “massive discrimination is about to be introduced” in the Budget affecting the options parents chose for childcare.

Mr Noonan told him however that Mr Ryan was “ascribing views to me which I do not hold”.

He said that on no occasion in the preparation of the budget had he indicated he was introducing any particular measures on childcare.

He did not know where Mr Ryan’s assumptions were coming from.

“The front page of everything,” the Green Party leader said.

“If one was to rely on the newspapers, I would not be here at all,” Mr Noonan replied.

“According to last Sunday’s newspaper, I should be dead long ago. The deputy should not assume that what is on the front of a newspaper is a policy position.”

Mr Noonan told the Dublin Bay South TD “I am sure you were misquoted on several occasions as well” when he was a government minister.

“The point is, if the deputy wants a debate on child care, he should put it down to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.”

Mr Noonan said “my job in the budget is setting the expenditure ceiling, managing the tax affairs, keeping within the fiscal rules and so on”.

He had never indicated there were going to be measures such as Mr Ryan suggested introduced in the Budget for childcare or otherwise.

“You will have to wait for budget day to see if there are any specifics.”