Minister of State Mary Butler: news that she had a cancerous growth came out of the blue on St Patrick's Day 2022. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins A minister who stays at home – by choice or otherwise – during the annual St Patrick’s Day airlift is known in political circles as the Designated Survivor. If the entire government is wiped out in a freak contaminated shamrock catastrophe, their colleague left at home takes over the running of the country. Think of the US drama of the same name starring Kiefer Sutherland. Minister of State Mary Butler is this year’s Designated Survivor….