THE Republic's finance minister Michael Noonan is swimming back to full health after being given the all-clear by doctors following his treatment for cancer.
The Limerick TD, pictured, issued a surprise statement in June revealing that he had been under-going weeks of radiotherapy after a cancerous lump was found on his shoulder four months earlier.
Mr Noonan, who continued his ministerial work throughout his illness, yesterday said he had a good summer and that his recovery was "doing fine".
"I am fit and well again. I was with my consultant last week and he told me all my scans were clear and that there were no incidences of cancer anywhere else in my system," he said.
The minister said that his next hospital appointment is not scheduled until next January.
Mr Noonan, who will undergo regular check-ups, also revealed that swimming had played a major role in his recovery.
His orthopaedic surgeon, retired Olympic swimmer Gary O'Toole, ordered his high-profile patient to swim in a bid to build up muscle around the site of his operation.
"I've been swimming right through August and I've got a lot of mobility back. I'm the only one in Ireland who's swimming under prescription," the Fine Gael politician joked.