O'Callaghan urges parents to act on suspicions at Meningitis Day launch

THE RTÉ Prime Timepresenter Miriam O'Callaghan says she "cannot" comment on whether or not she will succeed Pat Kenny as presenter of the Late Late Show.

Speaking at a photocall to promote World Meningitis Day, which takes place on Saturday April 25th, O’Callaghan said she had decided she did not want to say anything about the RTÉ chat show.

“This is painful for me because I love talking, and I am by nature an indiscreet person. I kind of think life is about talking, but on this, Im being a saint.”

She said it was ironic that her production company Mint was currently shooting an edition of the genealogy series Who do you think you are?featuring Ryan Tubridy, who has also been tipped as a frontrunner to succeed Kenny.

After repeatedly answering “no comment” to journalists’ questions on the possible professional contest between the pair, O’Callaghan laughed and said: “I feel like a politician.”

O’Callaghan said she was happy to promote World Meningitis Day and urged parents concerned about possible symptoms to seek medical help quickly.

The mother of eight said she had “driven Our Lady’s Hospital in Crumlin insane” through precautionary visits. She said: “I think if you’re at all suspicious, go for it. Just go and get help and even if you’re wrong, so what?”

O’Callaghan said she was grateful her own children had not been affected by meningitis.

“I always say I’m very lucky like that. When people ask me questions about TV I always say, ‘Who cares?’ My children are healthy and for that I’m very happy, genuinely.”

The Meningitis Trust’s general manager Carole Nealon said bacterial meningitis affected about 300 people in Ireland every year, “and out of that between 14 and 25 die from the disease”.

She said parents should talk to their GPs about relevant vaccinations for their children and could download a symptom card from the trust’s website, www.meningitis-trust.ie or contact its 24-hour nurse-led helpline at 1800 523196.