Media Minister Patrick O’Donovan has said the manner in which he goes about his day-to-day life has changed “dramatically” after he was hospitalised in Brussels earlier this summer.

The Fine Gael minister fell ill while attending meetings in Belgium in July and remained under close medical observation for a period before returning home. He returned to work this week.

He has previously spoken about how he was diagnosed with epilepsy, including experiencing an episode where he collapsed while speaking in the Dáil chamber in 2023.

Asked about the incident in Brussels on Newstalk Breakfast this morning, the Limerick TD said it is important to show that people in public life can have an underlying condition or disability and “not have to give up your position” or “leave behind a job that you feel you’re making a big difference in”.

He thanked the hospital teams in Brussels and Beaumont, as well as Government leaders for their understanding of his condition.

Mr O’Donovan said the incident has prompted him to make changes that his life and work will “be the better for”.

“I have an underlying condition of epilepsy, so I had an episode – bigger than usual, not the kind of thing I want to have repeated to be quite honest about it – but, look, I want to say that I got fantastic care in the hospital that I was taken to in Brussels and as soon as it was safe for me to be moved back to Ireland I was moved,” he said.

“My own team in Beaumont were part of the decision-making process around that and I haven’t come back to work without them knowing it.

“I wouldn’t also come back to work without the realisation that I have to change a few things, and I’m in the process of doing that. Work-life balance is really important for people,” he said.

“For people with an underlying neurological condition or a disability, it is important to show in public life that you can have it and not have to give up your position, and not have a disability or a condition and have to essentially leave behind a job that you feel that you’re making a big difference in and have more to offer to.”

He said he wants to continue in his role as there is a lot more he wants to do.

“The manner in which I go about my day-to-day life has changed dramatically and there are more changes to come, and I think my life will be the better for it. I certainly think my output will be the better for it as well,” he said.

Mr O’Donovan has previously highlighted the struggles that people with epilepsy face and has described having violent seizures that could last around 45 minutes.

Last year, he told the Sunday Independent that he has a photo sensitivity that manifests itself into epilepsy, which prevents him from going into darkened rooms and means he must be “very careful” where he speaks in public due to the venue.