The Arts Minister Heather Humphreys has refused to reveal who within Fine Gael asked her to consider John McNulty for a place on the Irish Museum of Modern Art Art (IMMA) board.
Ms Humphreys says she appointed Mr Mc Nulty because of his skillset and regional balance he could bring to the organisation.
She says she takes 'full responsibility' for it.
Ms Humphreys has come under renewed questioning about the Seanad by-election candidate following the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting last night, at which members were told to move on from the controversy.
But she refused to name the Fine Gael official who suggested the candidate.
Meanwhile a Labour minister has branded the Seanad by-election fiasco as 'bizarre'.
Environment Minister Alan Kelly says the ongoing interest in Mr McNulty's candidacy and short lived position on the board of IMMA is distracting from real issues.
However Mr Kelly believes there is already a real possibility that Mr McNulty has already been elected to a seat in the upper house - as many votes have already been cast.
And the Tánaiste Joan Burton earlier launched an attack on Sinn Féin - accusing the party of double standards for not taking responsibility for the "Disappeared".
Ms Burton said she accepts the explanation of the Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his apology over the McNulty affair.
It was after Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary-Lou McDonald accused her of evasion and silence on stroke politics.
But Ms Burton said Mr Kenny's acceptance of wrong-doing is not replicated in Sinn Féin following the discovery of the body of Brendan Megraw in a Meath bog yesterday.
