Former Fianna Fáil Cabinet minister Dr Jim McDaid has said he felt betrayed when Taoiseach Bertie Ahern dropped him as a junior minister in the Government reshuffle last September.
Dr McDaid, who has since returned to practising medicine, said that despite this he did not feel bitter towards Mr Ahern.
The Donegal North-East TD was dropped from the Cabinet in 2002 following five years as minister for sports and tourism, but retained ministerial office as minister of state for transport.
During last September's reshuffle he was demoted to the back benches. "I was humiliated," he said in an interview on The Political Party on TV3 yesterday. "People in politics are regarded as having thick skins, but that had a profound affect on me."
He acknowledged he felt "a little bit" betrayed over what he described as being "sacked".
"I was disappointed. I was very loyal to Bertie Ahern. I just think the whole thing could have been handled better, but it's all over now," he said.
Dr McDaid said he believed he was used during the European election campaign - when he stood in the North West constituency - to block Sinn Féin, and was never seen by Fianna Fáil as having a real chance of getting elected.
He said the campaign cost him "sixty thousand pounds sterling" personally.